Tardy Retaliation
by Valorous Roland
Summary: Rando breaks out of prison with one thing on his mind: revenge on the one who put him there. With his own four-man team, he embarks on a quest that will follow Yusuke to the ends of all three worlds and may finally settle the score against his new equal.
1. The Getaway and its Fugitive

The small amount of light that managed to slip through the iron bars of one of Spirit World's highest-security prisons wasn't appreciated by any of the inmates. The only thing it seemed to do was tempt the demons with the outside air, but it was the only light in the jail except the red 'recording' light on the security cameras, witch were everywhere and always watching your every movement. No one stayed here long; only until the spirit prince Koenma sorted out the paperwork that had your name and ten thousand years in Limbo as punishment on it, one of the maximum and most feared punishments for nearly all the criminals.

A man with large black horns for ears walked through the hallway. He was perfectly in uniform, a back overcoat with jade buttons, as he came from the west, like he should. He glanced at the numbers of the cells occasionally, finally stopping at fifty one, "Three-fourteen, get up! His Highness has decided your punishment," he said in a high, almost cheerful voice until he looked down with a mockingly pitiful look in his eyes, "I'm sorry, but…"

The man laying in the cell opened his eyes, but remained motionless other then that, "First," the inmate said deeply, "my name isn't 'three fourteen', its Rando," he turned on the wooden plank stuck on the wall, his long, red hair slightly frayed, "You know the human hunter? The one that killed ninety-nine human psychics?"

"Yes, three-" he paused, "Mr. Rando, I've heard of you. As I was saying, your punishment…"

"Well, if I'm here, I'm going to rot in Limbo, I guess. The real question is, how long 'til I'm out?" the demon impatiently interrupted as he sat up. He folded his hands, pressed them to his forehead, and let out a deep sigh.

"You're not," the blonde man smiled sorrowfully, "I'm sorry, sir."

"Eternity in the bowels of Limbo?" he asked, slightly disturbed, but remaining with an indifferent disposition, "Well, that isn't given out too often, is it? Should I feel special? Or just hated?"

"Umm… Well, actually… I shouldn't have told you… I caught a glance at the papers and saw… well, let's just say… It's the first time I've seen this," he looked towards the light of the only window, "As an officer here for two…" he stopped for a moment, his quietness disappearing at the thought of murder, "No, three decades, I've seen people put in there for a thousands of years for one human slaying, but you--you've killed so many! A lifetime in Limbo is a pretty reasonable punishment for ninety-nine deaths, Mr. Rando!"

"Well, then. Don't you "Mr. Rando" is a bit too formal for a prisoner, mister…"

"M-me? Well, my name is Akane, but I don't see how-" he crossed his arms, fearing a change of subject.

"Akane? Akane what?" he asked, seemingly to only annoy him.

He rubbed his temples, clearly tired of Rando's conversation, "Chiyoko…" he moaned.

Rando sat up on the sorry excuse for a bed that was a plank of wood stuck to the wall, "Well, Mr. Chiyoko," he said mockingly, "Shall we be on our way? I'll just pretend you didn't tell me about Limbo and I'll act all surprised and depressed. That way, you'll save a steep deduction in pay from Koenma and I get to practice begging for mercy," he sighed, "It'll be helpful. They're a lot of demons in Limbo starved for a fight with another one, usually one they can beat, and the system _did_ rank me as one of the C classes…"

"Are you always so cynical, sir?" Akane poked his nose through the bars.

He walked up to the bars and grabbed them, leaning slightly so his cheek barley touch it, "Well, we going or not, Chiyoko?" Rando smiled weakly, his normally sadistically cold voice showing a hint of disappointment, "It isn't going to get you a promotion faster if you keep on dawdling with me… If you don't hurry, you might get demoted… Or even fired!" he smiled, but then turned cold, "Not that it matters to me, guard."

Akane looked back to the light with a grin, "Heh… Well…"

"Yes? You got something to say?"

"Ninety-nine accounts of murder, but…" Akane said, looking up at Rando, "You still have a soul? Interesting…"

Rando took his face from the bars, witch left small indents on his cheek, "What was that, Chiyoko?" he asked irritably, "You want to run that by me again?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't say anything. Please, pretend I didn't say anything, at least, Mr. Rando," he bowed low, seemingly sincere, "Dreadfully sorry, sir."

_Formal, aren't you? _Rando thought, _Too chatty for this job. Suspicious, even. Why would Koenma put such an oaf for a guard? He's not even an ogre, and I sense… demon energy? Unless…"_

Rando's train of thought shattered with the clanging of metal, "Now, then," Akane said, pulling out a small knife, "I'm armed, s-so don't try a-anything…" he seemed less threatening due to the fact he was trembling at the sight of Rando in front of him in an open cell, "You… Come out, hands folded behind your head."

"Hmm… Well, okay, then," he said, obeying, "I won't attack you," he said with a grin, "Physically..." he added under his breath.

Akane walked against his back, forcing him to move down the hallway, "What was that…? Umm… D-don't talk, Three fourteen! You have the-"

"Right to remain silent?" he said glancing over his shoulder, "I know, I know. I've heard this before…" he said quietly, "I've broken out of here three… no, four times. I know what they say," he lied, moving down the silver hall.

Akane let his guard down, "R-really…?" he stammered, eyes widened as he put the knife slightly down, "I d-didn't know you were so…"

"It's not hard, son. I mean as long as you get idiot for a guard. Like always," he glared at him as they entered a golden corridor.

Akane paused for a moment looking around in the corners of the room for security cameras before raising his knife's blunt end close to the base of his neck with elbows bent high on his ribs, an odd position that seams to be more dangerous to the whiled, "H-hey, punk! You should shut you trap before I-"

Rando raised a diamond shaped eye brow, _A false personality, _he thought, _To protect his own job… On camera, he's an angle, but off, he's a devil. He's pretty gullible, but is he loud and angry now… I preferred the other one… _

"Hey, you listening?" he said irritably, "C'mon, hurry it up, 'Mr. Rando', I've got other business to do, so-"

Rando stopped listening and began chanting under his breath quietly, hands clenched in front of him.

"What did you say?" he asked with an over-confident smirk before he realized, when color drained from his face and he was thrown into a state of panic, "What are you saying? H-hey, stop it!" And, as if another camera appeared, Akane's meekness resurfaced as Rando finished his hex, "I-is this a chant? Please, d-don't! What is this going to do to me?"

Rando smiled, "Nothing that will kill you," he laughed.

Akane stared wide-eyed at Rando, who seemed to be getting larger every second, "Am I…? I'm getting smaller!" he cried, tears running down his face, "N-no! Make it stop, Mr. Rando! Make it stop… Please!" Akane continued shrinking at an alarming rate until he was three inches tall.

"Well, usually they're larger," he leaned down with an oddly fascinated look in his eyes, comparing a shaking Akane to his index finger, "You're a tiny one! Nearly twenty-five percent smaller then they usually are… odd." He, on any other occasion, wouldn't have cared in the least, but Akane was a demon who shrunk to the size of a human who should have been an ogre for his job.

Akane shook with fear, "H-how…? What are you going to do to me…?"

"Well," Rando said looking up, "I do enjoy my fair share of torture…"

Akane's eyes widened, "No… You can't…" he stammered.

Rando smiled. He loved the pain of others more then anything else, and, for some odd reason, the energy from this one was a lot more fearful. Much more satisfying then the usually are, "But I can't do that," he said softly.

Akane let out a huge sigh of relief, "Oh…" he whispered, eyes closed, "Thank goodness…"

Rando raised an eyebrow, "You didn't let me finish, Chiyoko," he laughed, "I can't do that for a reason. There is a gate. A gate with a key-code, am I not mistaken?"

Akane seemed more annoyed then scared or anything else, "Oh, I see… You want me to open the door for you. You seem to think I know the code. I don't."

"I thought you come from the right when you came to get me. If that's true, then--"

Akane sighed. He was found, "--then I needed to open the door? The one with the lock?" he looked up, amazed, yet calm, "You're a lot smarter then I expected, Mr. Rando. Odd, seeing that you lost," he covered his mouth to prevent a full-out laugh, "to swamp algae."

"H-how much of the report did you read? Does Koenma just leave it out on his desk!?" he stammered, but then recalled the Tournament and the one who bested him. He looked up, glaring, "Yusuke Urameshi… I can't believe he beat me…! I still will get revenge on him if it kills me," Rando sighed, slightly dazed by the small amount light still able to shine on them, "and," he mumbled, "it probably will, too, if I know Urameshi."

"Hey," Akane said, "What are you moaning about?" he crossed his arms, "I'm not the only guard on duty now, you know? In this sector right now, I might be, but some people stray off course, like Hayato Hibiki. My best friend, you see. He never stays on track: always wanting to skip days, early lunches, just a conversation… He'll be here soon, most likely, so if you want to escape," he suggested, "I'd kick it into high gear, Mr. Rando."

"Hmm…" Rando smiled, "It seems like he isn't too bright. He'll get fired if he keeps that up," he picked Akane up gingerly, "But one thing bothers me, Chiyoko."

"Hmm…?" he looked up, calm disposition hiding his panic, "W-what is this about now? I still think that you should hurry up and--"

"Why are you helping me?" Rando interrupted, seeming to sense Akane's discomfort, "You've put up no real motivation to help a criminal escape, and still--"

A man with long black hair came to the room, franticly darting to the wall, "An escapee!?" he yelled into an intercom button, "Send help, please! All guards, to the B section! I repeat-"

Akane's eyes widened, "Ahh! Hayato, help me!"

Hibiki froze, "A-Akane!? Y-you're…and that's…! The human hunter!? How'd he get out?"

Akane smiled, _Now, _he thought,_ I'm not the only one in the running for best actor… He's behind schedule, like always, but we're still on track._

Rando started running to the other side of the circular corroder, still holding Akane. He could barely hear the guard calling for reinforcements over his panting. For six months, he was trapped in this jail without room to stretch at all, so something as simple as running was painful. Anyone who could do this, who could make light and movement types of far-fetched dreams, were cruel. Koenma was a cruel being, _After Yusuke, _he thought, _when I'm an A class… I'll come to kill Koenma, too. When Yama fears my name… The name of Rando… I'll still not stop until there is no Sprit World… No Human World… Nothing…_

All guards in the entire prison and a few of the SDF were after him now, "They called in the Special Defense Force? That's a bit too much," Akane said, looking up at Rando, "even for the human hunter himself…"

The hallway came to a stop with a door with, expectably, a key code, "Hey, Chiyoko," he said, his voice strained and hoarse, "Open this, or-"

"I know, I know!" he yelled, annoyed, "Just get me closer…!" Rando raised his slightly shaking hand. Akane needed to use both hands to punch the sleek buttons that glowed red when enough force was applied, witch was a lot for him, "One, seven… three, two, two…" his voice trailed off as Rando looked up at the guards. They seemed to be going increasingly slowly. They hadn't been denied any exercise like Rando, so why were they moving with so little haste? It was like they were _letting_ him get away… "One, eight, four! There, open!"

Rando stood dazed, staring at the guards, "Letting me get away…" Rando mumbled, "Could it be?"

"H-hey, Rando, ya listin'? The door's open, and we've gotta go, now!" Akane yelled, "Take me with you; I can get you to another world: Human World!"

Rando looked down, nodding. He began to mutter the reverse of the shrinking chant as he stood up slightly dizzy from the run, and took off in the other direction. After more running, several trips, and a pounding thought that he was getting away was planed, he saw a light at the end of the hallway. He stumbled his way to the end, spell finished, panting.

"Tired?" asked Akane, jumping out of Rando's arms, now to a normal size.

"Yeah…"

"Keep going, Mr. Rando, you're almost there…" he encouraged with a warm smile. If he had to be with him, he'd try to at least not hate him.

Rando ran out the door and collapsed. Why was running so hard…? Akane folded his hands and focused his energy into the air at a single point.

"Are you opening a gateway to another world, Chiyoko?"

"Yes. I'm not even close to be able to break the Kakai Barrier, so the only place this could lead is to Human World… or to another dimension, I suppose, but-"

"Another dimension!?"

"Sir, it's a very low chance, and, if so, I can always re-open another gateway to another world. More likely then not, we're going to Human World."

"What kind of 'other world' are you talking about?"

"Someplace like the dimension made for the Saint Beasts or for the members of the Akira Five … There's only a few others, and there hard to get to, even if you tried! I'm trying to go to Human World, so going to another world is- Oh! The gate's already open!" Akane looked around, as if trying to find someone who helped open it, "That's… more quick then I expected," he grabbed Rando's arm and pulled him towards the gateway, "Anyway, hurry up!" he yelled.

Rando slowly followed Akane as he glanced over his shoulder. There were no more guards following him, and the SDF seemed to be trying to close the gateway they just went in. They seemed to be helping them.


	2. Yusuke, Slayer of the Saint Beasts

Rando crashed down into the hard stones of Maze Castle from the newly-opened portal set into the sky. He tried to prop himself up, looking dizzily at the swirling world around him, but Akane squealed as he fell on top of him from at least thirty feet in the air, "Get off me, Chiyoko!" Rando yelled, more annoyed then usually with a not-uncommon grinding of teeth.

"S-sorry…!" he gasped loudly, not looking at him but the arm that he held front of him that he landed on, "Oww…" he said as he gently rubbed it, "That hurt a lot and—Ahh! What are those!?" he screeched, pointing.

"I can't see if you won't get off of me…!" he yelled, throwing Akane off his back with a jerk forward, "What are you yelling about, anyway? Ah? Are those… C-cultivated humans…? This is _defiantly _not Human World!" he yelled, not a bit surprised by the countless bodies in front of him, but with anger at Akane's failure, "Where did you take me, Chiyoko!?"

"Gross…! There everywhere! And there all bloody and decapitated and _gross_!" Akane screeched, covering his covering his face with his hands.

"Where are we?" he repeated sternly.

Akane sniffed, "Who would kill all these poor, fpoor…" he paused and covered his mouth, "What did you call them again?"

"Cultivated humans," Rando smiled immorally, "They destroy nearly anything in sight, so they're not really 'poor, poor' anything, they're more like mindless killing machines," he paused for a moment, eyes widening, "but if there dead then…"

Akane swallowed, "T-this isn't Human World… And it isn't the world of the Akira Five, but where else could it—Oh!" he smiled, quite proud of himself, "The Saint Beasts!"

"Uhh," Rando moaned, shaking his head slowly, "You said this was a low chance!"

"It was!" he defended himself, "Only about ten percent… It was eighty-five for Human World!"

"You said that you could re-do this if it went wrong…" he said softly, remembering the conversation not to long ago, "So do, Chiyoko! Take me to Human World and Urameshi…!"

"Umm… About that…" he covered his mouth and went down to a whisper, "I can't. I'm completely out of power… I assumed that we would get to Human World on the first try and that you wouldn't follow me unless I said I could un-do it, and so I—"

"You lied to me, Chiyoko!?" he yelled, grabbing Akane's collar, "And we can't get to Urameshi here! We're stuck here?"

"There's a good reason!" he said, sticking his hands out in front of him, pushing against Rando's stomach, "I think—" he paused as he took an deep breath, "No, I know Yusuke's here!"

Rando loosened his grip, "Urameshi?" he mumbled, "He's… Here?"

"Yeah, yeah! Now will you _please _stop strangling me, Rando!?"

"Why should I trust you?" he asked suspiciously, tightening his hold around Akane's neck, "Are you lying again, Chiyoko?"

Akane sighed, "No, no! I'm telling the truth, sir. I actually meant to take you to Human World, like you asked, but I know Yusuke's here! I overheard Koenma talking about it with his ogre! H-his case… One of them was to make sure you didn't get the spirit wave technique… After studying with her for six months, when you were in prison, he'd got a new case: one to defeat the Saint Beasts!"

"H-he already leaned the Spirit Wave!? Impossible!" Rando gasped, releasing him.

Akane grabbed his throat and gently rubbed it, glaring angrily at Rando, "Oww…" he sighed, "I don't believe anyone could learn it in so little time… But, I do think that I heard that they say Yusuke's a prodigy, but that might be a rumor, seeing how I learned it from Hibiki and…"

"He's strong, but," Rando muttered to himself, "a prodigy? Enough of one so that he could learn the Spirit Wave in only a half of a year?"

"We could follow him. Even if he kills all the beasts, makes it to the end, beats Suzaku, last of the Saint Beasts, he'll be tired, and we can beat him!" Akane chimed, nearly out of breath.

Rando looked up, "You never did answer my question."

"What 'question' would that be, Mr. Rando?" Akane said, starting to tense up.

"Why," he asked slowly, each word carrying weight, "are you helping me?"

Akane sighed, "It's a special matter. I'd… I'd prefer if…" Akane said childishly, tears streaming down his face, "If I could keep that personal… Mr. Rando, sir."

"Alright then, don't cry, Chiyoko. It's annoying. As long you help me, I'm fine with you keeping your past to yourself," Rando said quickly and coldly, as if only to get Akane to stop complaining, "but we need to catch up with Urameshi, if he is truly here."

_Happy that went over so quickly,_ Akane thought, as if surprised at his new partner's idiocy, _if Rando was smarter, he would have figured out already…_

Rando and Akane slowly walked to the main gate, Akane walking agilely to steer clear of stepping on disembodied limbs, which were everywhere and hard to avoid. In a short time they reached another room not far into the castle.

"Hmm? That's a switch on the wall…" Akane carefully moved over to the wall, but half way there he slipped and fell. Rando laughed before he was silenced by Akane's deafening scream, "Ahh! That's blood! There's blood on the floor…!" he wailed, scrambling to the wall, "Ahh! There's blood everywhere here… I don't like this place! I want to go home to my house and my Ayako…!"

Rando raised an eyebrow, "Who?" he asked, knowing he'd probably regret hearing one of Akane's seemingly never-ending rants.

"My daughter. Her mother left me, so she's my whole world…!" he held up his right hand. Strapped to it was a metal band with a large, green gem on it, "See this? It can be used to call the other guards—"

Rando stared at him intensely, "So, you did call for Hibiki to come…!"

"N-no, I can't. I made mine so it's only wired to talk to my daughter…" he sniffed, "Seeing how she's in Spirit World and, due to my position, could, with a little persuasion, which she's good at, get into Koenma's palace, it could be helpful…" he stammered, tired out by his own sentence.

"Wait—" he said with a smile, happy to point out Akane's failures, "who's watching after her?"

"Umm… No one, I guess, since my brother hates her, and I have no other family," he paused, trying to prove his thoughtfulness, "but she's an independent one. She never really relied on me for anything," Akane gave a weak smile, "She'll be fine, I mean, she never did really like me, anyways."

"But we can get info about Urameshi from her?" Rando asked, addressing the affair that really concerned him.

"Ayako doesn't like to help people, especially me, but she's very studious, however, and she'll recognize you. If you ask, I'm sure you'll get help," he smiled warmly, but then started to cry, completely changing the subject, "B-but why is there blood!? Yusuke's a murderer! I wonder what this was…"

Rando walked over to the switch on the wall, unable to care any less about whatever Akane was saying, "I still don't know," he said, throwing it, "what this does…"

The ceiling of the hallway they came though began to slowly fall, "Ohh… I guess the Saint Beasts must have used this against Yusuke…" Akane said softly, "I guess they tried to drop a boulder on them, too…" he pointed to a large heap of shattered stones on the ground, "I'm so happy we're here second, so all the traps are already sprung."

Akane grabbed Rando's unoffered hand helped himself up, "You can't be too sure," Rando said gravely, staring at the hand Akane touched as if it was soiled by his touch, "Urameshi might have missed a few, knowing him. He has a tendency to make live more difficult for everyone."

"Like? Anyone besides yourself?" Akane smiled, moving in front of Rando to see his face.

Rando continued to the hallway leading to the next room, "Apparently you, but you won't say."

Akane looked down sadly as he returned to Rando's side, "O-oh, I guess so…"

"And probably the Saint Beasts—what are their names again?"

"Genbu, the Stone Beast is the first, followed by the White Tiger, Byakko," Akane paused for a moment, thinking, "Oh! Then there's Seiryu, the Blue Dragon, they call him, and the last is Suzaku, the Leader of the Beasts," he smiled, running to keep up with Rando, "He's the strongest."

"They put demons in classes, right? What class is he?" Rando asked, biting his lower lip, slightly fearing the answer.

"I think that he's a C or a C+"

"And what was I?"

"A… You were a C-, sir," He said with a weak smile.

Rando grinded his teeth together, "So he's… Stronger then me?"

"I suppose so, Mr. Rando, but if it makes you feel any better, Yusuke was a lower class then you and he still beat you, so if Mr. Suzaku beats him, he'll be pretty tired, and it'll be an easy win!"

"I don't need an 'easy win'. I can take Genbu, Suzaku, Byakko, and whatever the other one's—"

"Mr. Seiryu," Akane smiled, quiet proud of himself, "The Blue Dragon, they call him."

"Whatever," Rando said irritably, " The point is I could take them all at once."

"A tad arrogant, aren't we?" Akane said, one hand on Rando's shoulder.

Rando shrugged Akane's grip off of him, "No," he said quickly, continuing on to the room in a hurry.

"H-hey! P-please, wait up, Mr. Rando! I'm sorry!" he said, running after him, "So, it didn't make you feel any better, but I at least tried, right?"

"Sometimes I wonder why I let you come with me," he sighed.

"That's pretty mean," Akane said disappointedly, folding his hands behind his head and walking at a leisurely pace, "You're more then just cynical; you're a jerk."

Rando ignored Akane until he found himself in the next room, "Oh, we're late. It looks like Yusuke already beat the first one."

"Wahh!" Akane screamed, bursting into tears again, "What did they do to poor Mr. Genbu!? Is… Is he the pile of rocks in the corner? They're so cruel! Genbu didn't do anything!"

"What are the Saint Beasts doing, anyway?" Rando asked. Being stuck in prison for the past six months, he had nearly no knowledge of the world now.

"I'm not entirely sure, but it has something to do with the Makai Insects. The leader released a bunch to earth with a flute or something… Apparently, they're going after Yusuke's," Akane blushed, but it seemed angry, "_girlfriend_."

"Really? That's all?" he said with a false indifference, "This guy isn't that tough, seeing how he plays a flute to call bugs to harass woman, but still," he said, changing the subject to mask his lack of concern, "Chiyoko, if he's working for Suzaku, he probably tried to stop of Yusuke. Genbu was killed because he got in his way."

"B-but…" Akane stammered, "Why did Yusuke have to _kill_ him!? How does he know that Genbu would have killed him…?"

"Suzaku's orders, probably. Genbu would have killed them, trust me."

Akane looked down, sniffing as Rando stared at him. He was too emotionally young to understand death, and much too sensitive to be a demon. There was a reason he wasn't in Demon World, and it probably was that he had something deep with Koenma in the past. He was a demon who worked in Spirit World with the sensitiveness of a child. His wife left him with a daughter that hates him, and for the first time in his long, long life, Rando felt a small pang of pity, actual, heart-felt pity for another person. He hated it.

"It's terrible," Akane said, picking up a small shard of glowing red rock, "people killing each other… I don't…" he sniffed, "Was this his heart?"

"Let's go," Rando said in his normal, cold voice, "We need catch up to Yusuke, alright? So, just, let's go."

"Yeah, that sounds better," Akane swallowed, "Thanks."

"Huh," he said walking to the next room, "It is true that Genbu was killed, but maybe Byakko beat them…" Rando whispered, "He'd better not have killed Yusuke, or…" He stopped for a moment before his pointed ears perked up.

"Actually, I was planning on using a different kind of attack this time!"

"W-what was that…?" Akane shook, arms wrapped around Rando, "Mr. Rando! I'm scared!"

"One of the Saint Beasts," he said, pushing Akane aside, "Can't be Genbu, since he's dead, so maybe… Byakko?"

"Ohh…" Akane gasped, "The White Tiger! It sounds like they're fighting! If so then… Then Mr. Byakko will share the same fate as Mr. Genbu…!" he bit his lower lip and folded his hands over his nose and mouth, "I think we should stay back here… Going into a battle with that monster would be suicide! Yusuke's sure to die, so why don't we just go back to Spirit World instead? That's better then staying here! I can take most of the blame, so you won't be in a much worse situation then you were! Please Mr. Rando, I don't like this…" he cried.

"I… Actually, I think you're right. I don't want to get in a three-man melee. Yusuke and I… Our battle is personal, and I'm not going to let that tiger stop that," he stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Oh…You're thinking," he closed his eyes, "That's good. I thought you'd run in without thinking…"

Rando looked at Akane deeply, "Why aren't you a jerk? No one's watching; you've got no job to protect."

"Huh…?" Akane said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"When we got into the corridor, out of the camera," Rando explained, "you became a jerk, remember?"

"Oh…!" he remembered, "Yes, yes, right… I apologize for that, sir; it had noting to do with the camera. Well, it did, actually, but I get… It's a pretty stressful job, and also there's…" before he could finish his sentence, the watch started to glow brightly complemented with a shrill beep that hurt Rando's ears, "And also there's Ayako. I should probably tell her where I'm at and who I'm with and such… She'll be so disappointed in me that I'm not there to watch her… She'll be happy, but so disappointed…"

"That you're not there for her?" Rando smiled, "Not that you're helping a criminal?"

"She'll be more disappointed that you needed help from me to escape," He whispered softly, "She's just like Ayame. Like my wife…" He pushed the gem down. A small holographic screen appeared in front of him with a pretty girl on it. She obviously took after Ayame, with short, brown hair and eyes in a strap-less light blue dress with a frog's head design for the upper part and a hair clip of the same style, "Hello, Princess," he said warmly, "Do you need anything?"

The girl clenched her fists, "Akane!" she yelled angrily, referring to her father by his name, "Where are you!? You're ten minutes late!"

"I'm sorry," he said, spinelessly looking down, "I'm… I don't think I'm going to be home anytime soon. I helped Mr. Rando, the human hunter, escape, so just have Ken'ichi watch you, and—"

Ayako's eyes lit up, "Oh, the human hunter! Tell him I said hello, and that I love him…" she swooned. Rando rolled his eyes, but slightly blushed as he grabbed the watch, explained his story, and asked for her help to find Yusuke quickly, "Oh, sure, Mr. Rando," she smiled with a wink, "I can get anything out of Koenma, especially if it's as simple as finding where that Urameshi boy is… I'll do anything for you, sir."

Rando looked away: slightly embarrassed, slightly annoyed, mostly nervous in front of someone who knew him and he didn't, "Oh… That's good… I'm," he paused, biting his pointed nail, "happy for you're help."

Ayako's face lit up a bright red, "D-don't worry!" she chimed, "I'll help you in anyway possible…" her happiness turned to anger as she turned to he father, "Akane, if you get in Mr. Rando's way, I'll never forgive you! You better not be helping him, because every time you try to be helpful or nice or useful… You'll just end up hurting him, like you always do." he said as the green holographic screen closed, both parent and child slightly crying.

Akane sighed, "I won't…" he mumbled.

Rando raised an eyebrow, "Really?" he asked cynically, "She's yours?"

Akane looked down sadly, "Yessir…" he groaned, "She's my princess…"

Rando continued walking to the next room with a sad Akane in tow, "She really doesn't like you, does she?"

"Not really. She wasn't old enough to remember her mother, but I really think she should have taken her… She thinks I'm a terrible father, and, to be blunt, I probably am. I can't think of one person she hates more then me… Save my brother…"

"He Ken'ichi?" Rando asked after asking himself why he keeps making him talk seeing how he almost never listens unless it directly involves Yusuke or a way to insult Akane.

"Yes, and he may be the only person who hates me more then Ayako."

"No one in you're family seems to like you," Rando smiled. He was happy he asked the question now.

Akane laughed sadly, "You're probably right there, Mr. Rando."

"I am," the two continued walking for a little while into they reached a thin, stone sliver that was broken half-way through, "This is where they fought Bayakko… It seamed like they broke the bridge…" Rando spread his hand across the doorway, preventing Akane from coming in, "I wonder… Did he do this to prevent us from coming? He knows we're following him?" Rando smiled calmly with an evilly egocentric, look in his eyes, "He knows he can't beat me, so the coward broke the bridge!"

"Mr. Rando…," Akane said, breaking his rant, "How are we going to catch him if he broke the only way there?"

"I've killed ninety-nine human physics, and have ninety-nine abilities," Rando smiled, "Yusuke's seen four of them, so I bet he didn't know I could do this…!" Rando folded his hands and started chanting. Akane instinctively covered his ears, although the chant wasn't directed at him. After he finished, a sheer bright orange bridge stretched from end-to-end of the broken castle room.

"Oh!" yelled Akane, uncovering hid ears, "What _is_ that!?"

"It's a demon-energy bridge. It won't be around for a very long time, so we need to go!" Rando said, grabbing Akane's hand, as he ran his fastest to the other side, "I remember learning this one from a young man. It was hard to learn and I thought I'd never get down. It didn't last long, and he was a harsh teacher… It also has nearly no use in battle..." he panted. Running was still hard and painful, but they weren't as sharp anymore. He used his free hand to grab his side as he collapsed on the other half of the platform that a winding staircase, "I was happy to kill that one."

Akane slipped his hand out of Rando's weak grasp as he leaned down to the ground, "Where is Mr. Byakko?" he asked.

"Dead," Rando coughed.

"I mean," Akane said softly, trying to swallow the welling tears, "shouldn't there be a body, at least? I did find this snagged to a rock, but…" he held his hand and in it was a small scrap of bloody leopard-print cloth, "Maybe he was wearing this…"

Rando looked at the cloth intensely, "I don't know, but it was defiantly Yusuke. How can one man be so powerful that he can kill two Saint Beasts?"

"Maybe he has a team?" suggested Akane.

"Maybe, but," Rando breathed, "this is still troublesome…"

"Why is that, sir?"

"I need to know about Yusuke: if he's learned the Spirit Wave, if he failed his training with Genkai, if he's now an A class…" Rando mumbled, "I need to know… Genbu is completely destroyed and Byakko is no where to be seen… One needs to survive so I can learn if Yusuke's stronger…!"

"I could call Ayako; she may know," Akane smiled softly.

Rando shook his head, "No, I don't want a report; I want hand-to-hand experience…"

"Well," Akane said standing up and extending his hand to Rando, "we still have a chance, so chin up! Mr. Suzaku and Mr. Seiryu are still alive! We can learn from them!"

"If they're still alive, then," Rando said gruffly, standing up without Akane's help, "Yusuke is dead, and I'll kill anyone who kills Yusuke personally, whether it's the Blue Dragon or that one with the bug whistle."

Akane fidgeted with his thin ponytail and put the scrap of cloth in his pocket next to Genbu's heart shard, "You mean Suzaku?"

"Yeah, him," Rando said, continuing on, "the one with the bug whistle…"

"I think it's a flute, sir…" Akane said, walking up the stairs.

After a few steps they came to the next room of Maze Castle: a pit filled with lava and some small platforms, "He's already been through here!" Rando swore as he gazed at the broken platforms and the lack of people, "But… This room is overflowing with magma…"

"Actually, it's lava; magma is molten material underground, but lava is above ground, and…" he paused, "Oh! Dreadfully sorry, sir!" he apologized, giving a low bow, "What was the question, again?"

"Seiryu… What was his title?" Rando said, unusually quietly.

Akane beamed, "The Blue Dragon, they call him."

"Blue…" Rando said, "That's like water or ice, right?"

"Yessir, that's right," Akane said, a bit confused.

"So," Rando asked, "why is this Seiryu's room?"

"Huh? Oh, I see! Maybe this room isn't Mr. Seiryu's. I could just be a room that they…" Akane stopped and looked down, "Umm…"

"Randomly filled with magma?" he asked.

Akane looked down, "Actually, it's lava…" he said under his breath.

Rando's tried to respond with a 'I don't care', but before he could, his ears perked up as he heard a quiet voice barely creeping over the popping of the gas bubbles in the lava. The voice was calm, nothing like the scream that he and Akane had heard earlier, "Wait, Chiyoko," he whispered instead.

"You… Very well… Far… Shall no… Allow… Disgrace the name… Master!"

"H-hey, Mr. Rando, did you hear that…?" Akane said, moving closer to the demon, "That voice… It's so creepy, it's almost hypnotic…"

Rando swallowed and turned his voice more frigid then Akane's ever heard, "Is that the leader, Suzaku?"

"N-no…" Akane stammered, "He said 'master'… It can't be Mr. Suzaku because he is the Leader of the Beasts so it's… Mr. Seiryu, right? I only caught a few words like 'master' and 'shall no'."

"Me too, but still…" Rando said, "Then what is this room for?"

"It's anyone's guess," responded Akane.

"Let's go," Rando uttered, "We need to catch up to Yusuke. Can you make these jumps, Chiyoko? They're longer then they look."

"Umm…" Akane bit his lower lip.

Rando rolled his eyes, "Obviously not…"

"Sorry, sir, I just…"

"It show's that you're a… What are you, a D class?" Rando asked.

Akane clenched his fists, "Hey, punk!" he yelled, "I'm not a D class; I'm a higher class then you!"

Rando looked at Akane to see the same man he saw when they we're out of the security camera's sight. The angry but unthreatening side that helped him escape was out, and seemingly irritated, "You think you can make it yourself, 'punk'?" he said, wondering if Akane even knew how to swear.

"I'd race you."

"A-and have a change to win!?" Rando asked, shocked. Being as egocentric as he was, he nearly thought himself invincible. That is, until he fought Yusuke.

Akane smiled, "And _expect_ to win."

Rando laughed at the overconfidence that matched his own, "I'd take you're abilities if I won, but I don't think you have anything worth the time it took to learn."

"I have talents that you couldn't learn in what would have been you're time in Limbo," he said softly, but with a fiery temper.

Rando jumped over to the nearest platform, "Then let's go!" he yelled, jumping to podium to podium.

Akane smiled. Did he really think he could take on a _B class_? He focused his energy, jumped to the wall and ran with all his might sideways to the other side of the room, easily beating Rando. When Rando got to the other side, panting, Akane laughed and only said, "You're slow."

"I've went without exercise for six months," Rando sat down and wheezed, "I could of beat you just a little while ago…"

Akane smiled, the kindness that normally shined in his eyes returned, "I'm sorry we had to do that… I'd prefer if you didn't insult me like that," he grabbed Rando's hand and pulled him to his feet, "I don't want to race you again because you'll be able to beat me soon," he lied sweetly.

Rando smirked, "Of course I will. I rarely lose and this was just because—"

He wasn't able to finish his sentence before the ground started to shake violently. Burned and injured, Byakko pulled himself out of the lava.

"Ekk!" Akane squealed, hiding behind Rando, "He's still alive! He's still alive!"

"T-that… Kuwabara… He beat…" Byakko said, blood pouring out of his mouth, "I need help… Seiryu, please…"

"White Tiger!" yelled Rando loudly, "We're you fought by Yusuke? Has he learned the Spirit Wave!?"

Byakko turned his head slightly, "W-who are y-you…? Have you come to kill my master like the last group…?"

Akane poked his head out from behind Rando, "The last group? We're there more then one?"

"Y-yes…" Byakko wheezed, "T-there were four… One, the one that fought me, was a human with red hair and a glowing sword…"

Rando nodded, smiling at fond memories, "I remember," he smiled, "I broke his bones six months ago… Urameshi seems to be a good friend of that one."

"He was called… Kuwabara…" he gasped, "Another was small with black hair… And one with long red hair…"

Rando looked at Akane sternly, but directed his question at Byakko, "Who was the last one…?"

Akane cried, "I told you; I'm not lying! Yusuke's here…! Right…?"

"I… I believe that is what they called him… Short black hair and a loud voice to yell at his friend…"

"Urameshi!" yelled Rando, "He_ is_ here!"

"Yes… That one seems to be the leader… He'll fight my master, "Byakko struggled to get up the stairs.

"So, he hasn't fought yet?"

"N-no…" he gasped, "The red-haired one was injured and the small one had blood on his sword, but it may have been from the Gate… Keeper…Ahh…"

"Who's the Gate Keeper?" Rando asked.

Akane tapped Rando's shoulder, "The blood we saw when we entered… The place with the hallway with the dropping ceiling."

"I… I need to go see Seiryu… Please… If I don't make it, save my Master…" Byyako pulled himself up the stairs, crawling, "He… He's what matters…"

Rando could care less about Suzaku until he learned he'd fight Yusuke, "But you don't know if he's learned the Spirit Wave?"

"No… No, I don't," he called down the stairs, "but my master might once he fights him…"

"Poor Mr. Byakko… I feel bad for him…" Akane said, coming out from behind Rando, "I hope Mr. Seiryu will help him… But, then again, why wouldn't he?" Akane smiled warmly, "There like family!"

"The world has a lot of reasons to betray people," Rando said looking down, "Didn't you feel like family to the other guards? At least to Hibiki?"

Akane shrugged, "Not really, actually."

"Not at all?" he provoked.

"My only family is my daughter and my brother… I've learned to accept that…" Akane said softly, but not at all regretfully.

Rando was about to respond when he heard a soft, soothing voice, "It's him…" he said softly.

"Present yourself… My master…. He will… Power… Ever tasted…"

Akane gasped, "That's Mr. Seiryu!"

"I only hope that Yusuke's not fighting him…" Rando sighed, running up to the stairs, following the trial of blood left by Byakko.

"M-Mr. Rando, wait…!" Akane said jumping to different steps and parts of them to avoid the blood he was so terrified of.

"This is…" Rando said, scanning the large room with at least thirteen doors, "Which one leads to Seiryu? There's so many…"

"I see why they call this Maze Castle, I guess…" Akane sighed, "Can one of you're abilities sense energy or point us to Mr. Seiryu?"

"No," Rando smiled, pointing to the door, "but I think the correct door is the open one."

"Maybe Yusuke picked the wrong door?" Akane said softly.

Rando laughed, "I still get to fight him, right?" he walked up to his chosen door and ran through it.

"M-Mr. Rando! Please, wait! We can think through this!" Akane yelled as he ran after him, "There is no need to be so rash! Or to run so much…! Please, slow down…! I thought you were tired…"

After more running through the dark hallway with odd pictures on the wall, they reached a large, blue door with a dragon on it and to the sides, "Seiryu!" Rando yelled, banging his fists on the door, "Urameshi! You're broken bridge didn't work! I've come back to kill you!"

Akane helped Rando push open the door. After a good five minutes as hard shoving, and Akane slipping a small gem from the dragon's mouth into his pocket, the door creaked open to reveal an empty room filled a few inches with water, "Where's Seiryu?" Akane asked innocently, "And what's… Ahh!"

"It's…" Rando said softly, yet coldly, "It's Byyako. Or, at least, his head."

"Who could have done this…?" Akane asked as got on his knees, "Was it Yusuke?"

Rando shook his head slowly, as if surprised at the question, "Him or Seiryu."

"But," Akane said softly with tears welling up, as always, "weren't they partners? Friends, right?"

Rando looked as if just hearing Akane's drippingly sweet voice was enough to make him sick, "They worked for a common cause; they weren't necessarily 'friends'. Suzaku told the Saint Beasts that they should kill themselves to stall Yusuke. Would you call them 'friends'?" he paused for a moment, "They're kind of like us, actuality."

"Do you mean…" he said, swallowing and looking down rather pitifully, "You don't like me?"

The human hunter wasn't exactly known for his friendliness, let alone his ability to tolerate the presence of another person without an urge to spill their blood, "Of course not," he said coldly, sending a chill down Akane's spine. Honestly, he had a hatred of others and was surprised he lasted this long with the normally gentle and sweet Akane. He was the kind of man Rando hated most: one that couldn't stand up for himself.

"Why do you think Mr. Byyako had to die?" he asked.

Rando shrugged, surprised at Akane reaction of not his normal, pitiful tears, "There's no way to know."

Akane looked up, twisting his thin ponytail, "I understand… I just wish that—"

"Ahh! M-my tentacle…!"

"A-another voice…!" Rando gasped, ears raised.

Akane nodded, "That's got to Mr. Suzaku! There's no one else it could be now."

"Let's go!" Rando said, as he dashed to the other side of the room.

Akane followed a few feet behind him, "Yessir! I'm coming, too!"

Rando ran up the spiral staircase with Akane in tow until the whole castle began to shake uncontrollably, "W-what is this? An earthquake!? Here!?"

Akane hung on to Rando's chest, "Mr. Rando, what's going on?"

Rando looked up to three men standing on a small few steps of stairs as the ones that he and Akane were standing on plummeted to the collapsing ground, "They…" he whispered softly, "Those people aren't Yusuke…"

The whole castle collapsed on itself, the uppermost floor crushing them to the ground as the people on the stairs grew further and further away. They struck the floor with such force, Rando blacked out with Akane's final world echoing in his ears, "Rando…!" he yelled as the call faded out under the rubble that was Maze Castle.


	3. One Way to Live

For Rando, the world blurred in to vision with Akane leaning over him, short ponytail hovering inches above his nose, "Are you alright, sir?" he said softly in his soothing voice.

Rando slowly managed to drag himself up to Akane, "Where… Where am I? What happened?"

He responded, "Maze Castle collapsed, and—"

Rando's eyes widened, "Urameshi! Where is he!? D-did he beat the Saint Beasts?"

"I woke up a little while before you," Akane said sorrowfully, "He's gone…"

Rando clenched his teeth, "And the last one? The one with the whistle?" Akane said nothing, but, to Rando's surprise, didn't cry. He pointed to a clearing in the rubble. He limped over to the clearing, nearly tripping several times, to see a young blonde men lying on the ground. Rando ran up to him, "Hey," he said, shaking the man by his neck, "Hey, wake up! You were supposed to tell me if Urameshi learned the Spirit Wave! You were supposed to live to tell me…! Just… Wake up… You got to wake up…!"

Rando felt a hand gently press down on his shoulder. He looked down to see Akane shaking his head, "Please put him down."

Rando stared the man in his violet eyes, "Why… Why did you die! What was the point of this!" he yelled, throwing the body to the ground, "Suzaku, answer me! I came all this way and… And…!"

"Stop this!" Akane yelled reaching up to grab Rando's shoulders, "Leave him alone!"

"Chiyoko?" Rando asked, awed by the bravery Akane never showed.

"If you think about it," Akane said softly, "he's just like a more extreme you."

Rando raised an eyebrow, "Huh?"

"He tried to use his power for evil, and," Akane said, leaving his normal childishness behind, "Yusuke cut him down. You tried to kill Genkai, he tried to kill his girlfriend. Yusuke sent you to jail, he killed Suzaku… I really think he's a terrible choice for a Spirit Detective… Just half a year ago, he put you to prison, a fair punishment, and now, without a chance of trial, he just killed him," Akane breathed heavily, "I hate him. My 'personal reason' may just be for this, but… Mr. Suzaku wasn't given a chance, so…" he said, swallowing his tears, "I want you to get back at him twice as hard as you were going to."

"I can't without knowing if he learned the Spirit Wave!" he yelled, putting his hands over his ears, "Isn't there any way to learn if he did!? I'll never be able to get my revenge now…"

"We could ask Genkai, but she wouldn't tell us and would out last all torture we tried to use to get it out of her…" Akane said.

"Torture?" Rando asked, turning his head.

"Yes," Akane said, unfazed, "Didn't you say that you liked you're your 'fair share' of torture not to long ago?"

"You've really grown, Akane, but I'm not sure if I like what you've grown into," he said, "Just a little while ago, you would have winced at the words 'blood' or 'gore'. Now you want to torture just for spending a couple hours with me."

Akane sighed, "Not really," he said, "I'm trying not to cry, but… This man was killed, Rando!" he turned around with a shattering shriek, "Yusuke's a… He's a… A…" Akane fell to the ground, now crying and stammering to a point where all understandability was lost.

Rando rubbed his temples, _Why does this matter? _He thought, _Someone died because of Yusuke to save… To save some girl? I need to learn if he has the Spirit Wave or if Suzaku was just taken down a Spirit Gun…_

Akane regained his composer, "You know," he said quietly, "No one from the City of Apparitions have come, despite the fact the basis the whole place has just collapsed… It's almost like… Like no one cares for anyone but themselves here."

"It's like that everywhere," Rando said softly with a weak smile, "you just don't understand yet."

"I guess I'm just naïve," Akane smiled, "The world's much better if you don't look at the things you don't want to see."

Rando looked at the man lying on the ground, "Is there any way to see how he was defeated?"

"Save asking him?"

Rando's ears perked up, "Who's 'him'? Do you mean Yusuke?"

"No," he said sternly, "I mean Suzaku."

"I don't—"

"He might be dead, true, but he could always be revived," Akane nodded.

"Wait," Rando said, annoyed, "you mean _me_ giving _him_ my life energy? Won't that make me weaker!?"

"I said 'save' for a reason," Akane said coldly, "It's only a few weeks, but I knew you we're too selfish to do it."

"Isn't there any other way…?" he sighed.

"Yes," Akane smiled with a blush, "you could wait a few decades and kiss him."

"Not likely."

"So, are you going revive him or not?" he smiled, if only to see him angry, "Time's wasting, Rando."

"Why don't you!?" he yelled.

"Rando, it doesn't matter to me if Suzaku lives," Akane said simply, "I have no real need to see if he's learned the Spirit Wave or not. I could still beat him, even if he had it. And anyways, I don't want to kill him, I just want to prove could."

"You really think that?" he asked, suspicious of the change in personality.

"That it doesn't matter if lives or I could beat him? They're both right, anyway."

Rando grinded his teeth together, "I'll…" he sighed, "I'll do it. I need to know he's learned it."

Akane twirled around with a large grin as ran and wrapped his arms around him in mid-jump, "I know you would, sir! Thank you so much! I would if I could, but I can't!" he chimed, hanging on to Rando, "Now Mr. Suzaku's going to be okay!"

"Why am I doing this?" he asked himself as he threw Akane off of him and knelt to Suzaku's side. He turned the demon on his back and gently pressed on his chest. He took a deep breath as his hands began to glow and his body began to shake with disbelief in what he was doing. Time seemed to pass much more slowly as he grew weaker and weaker. It hurt to breathe and move, and he could barely keep himself from falling on Suzaku.

A pair of violet eyes shot open, "I—"

Akane smiled, "Mr. Rando, you did it! You're so nice…"

Suzaku slowly pulled himself up, "What… What happened…?" he said, cradling his head in his hands.

"Did Yusuke learn the Spirit Wave? You fought him, right!?" Rando said, grabbing his shoulders and violently shaking him.

"W-who are you?" he asked.

"That doesn't matter!" he yelled, "Has Yusuke Urameshi learned the Spirit Wave?"

"S-Spirit Wave?" he asked, still confused at his own life, "He said something like it… With a lot of glowing balls of his spirit energy… But I thought he called it a—"

"No!" Rando yelled, fiercely throwing him to the ground, "That's just his Spirit Gun!"

Suzaku managed to lift himself of the floor and punched Rando in the stomach, "Who are you to try to insult me? That wasn't a Spirit Gun; he called it a Shot Gun! It was like a thousand Spirit Guns at once!"

Suzaku punched back at Rando, but he grabbed his hand, "And you were killed by it?" he asked, using his other hand to hit Suzaku's chest, knocking him down. No matter how tired he was, he could always fight.

"You were knocked out by one Spirit Gun, so don't talk to me, you—" he ran up to Rando as they traded firm locks on each other's necks.

Akane yelled as he ran into the fray, easily pushing the two apart, "Rando, Suzaku! Get off of each other!"

The two were surprised at the powerful hands pushing into their chests coming from the fragile body of Akane, "Fine…" they whispered simultaneously, slowly backing off with locked glares.

"Now, Rando," he said, "apologize to Mr. Suzaku."

"Yeah, you probably should," Suzaku smirked.

"And, Suzaku," he crossed his arms and sighed, "You apologize to Mr. Rando, as well."

"I will do no such thing!" Sazaku yelled immaturely, "He doesn't deserve anything like that!"

Akane walked up to Suzaku and looked straight into his lavender eyes. He put his hands on his shoulders and said, "You will."

Suzaku looked down, "No."

Akane cracked his knuckles, uncharacteristically angry, "You will do it, or else…"

"You're not all that tough and I shouldn't have to!" he said angrily. Despite being recently revived only a few minutes ago, he was already strong enough to fight.

"If I didn't you'd still be dead!" Rando yelled trying to get passed Akane to punch Suzaku again, "If I knew you we're such a—"

"Mr. Rando!" Akane cried, back to his normal self, "You shouldn't swear. It isn't polite, and some people are offended by it!"

Suzaku raised an eyebrow, "He didn't even say anything yet…"

"You two," he said softly, "please stop fighting. Mr. Suzaku, Mr. Rando made himself weaker to bring you back to life. Mr. Rando, Mr. Suzaku told you all he knew, and you now know he hasn't learned the Spirit Wave, but something called the 'Shot Gun'. You both should be very grateful to each other."

"That doesn't matter!" they both protested at once before looking at each other angrily.

"They both matter very much," he said quietly, hands folded on his chest, "and fighting is not always the answer. In fact, contrary to your opinions, it's almost never the answer. I know you two don't exactly see eye-to-eye and your equally arrogant and controlling personalities—"

"Arrogant!?" yelled Rando loudly, "Controlling!?"

Suzaku nodded, "You've known me for less then five minutes," he said in a tone nearly identical to Rando's, "and you think you know my personality at all? You're sadly mistaking!"

"I do," he smiled warmly, before gasping, "Oh, my manners! I'm so sorry, but I don't think I've introduced myself yet, so my name is Akane Chiyoko and this is my partner, Rando, also known as the Human Hunter."

Rando clenched his fists, "'Partner'!? Chiyoko, we've been over this, and—"

Suzaku put his hand in front of Rando, "I see… You work with the Human Hunter…" he said softly, looking at Rando, "Oh… Well, as you probably know, seeing that took the time to revive me, I'm Suzaku, the leader of the Saint Beasts."

"Yes, I know that!" he yelled, "And I'll always remember that name by the fact you told me he hasn't learned the Spirit Wave!"

Suzaku nodded, "That's right, he hasn't, but don't underestimate the power of the Shot Gun, Human Hunter, It's a lot more powerful then you give it credit."

Rando smiled, _He seams to be a lot more respectful now that he knows my title, but, then again, who isn't?_

Akane smiled, "We won't. Thank you very much for telling us this… We are very grateful to you," he chirped with a low bow.

Suzaku continued to stare up at Rando, "But," he said softly, "I still don't understand why you come here."

Rando looked down at him, "Hmm?"

"I mean," Suzaku said, "that Yusuke boy… Is that what you called him?"

Akane nodded, "That's right, Yusuke Urameshi. He's the new Spirit Detective."

"Him…" Suzaku said, looking at Akane, "He was here on one of those 'cases' to protect earth from me and my makai insects… I probably shouldn't have taunted that Keiko so much."

Akane crossed his arms, "Is that his… His _girlfriend?_"

"That's what he called her," Suzaku stared back at Rando with his large purple eyes, "but, still, why are you here…? That Yusuke boy was the Spirit Detective, so... Why did you come to Maze Castle?"

Rando looked at him, "We're going after Urameshi. He defeated me—the Human Hunter! Defeated by a human! I'm going after him for my revenge."

Akane walked up and softly whispered in Suzaku's ear, "Not all by a human: the majority of it was swamp algae…"

Suzaku laughed, "Really?"

"I know what you're talking about so just be quiet, you—" Rando yelled pulling them apart.

"I'm sorry!" Akane laughed, "I just couldn't help tell him and… Hey, we're you going to swear again? Mr. Rando, we've been over this. Swearing is offensive to some--"

"It's pretty funny, actually, Human Hunter. I thought you we're stronger…" Suzaku interrupted before staring intensely at the ground.

"Suzaku, you better—" Rando yelled before looking where he was, "Hey, what are you looking at?"

Suzaku picked up a small singed white feather off the ground, "Nothing…" he said, staring at it, "Nothing at all."

Akane gasped, "Oh!" he said, reaching into his pocket, "That reminds me… Here, take these. There's one from each Saint Beast." In his hand lay the small fragment on Genbu's heart, the torn scrap of Byyako's clothes, and the blue gem from Seiryu's door.

Suzaku shook his head, "I have no need for them."

He clenched his fists, "What are you talking about!"

"I—" he started.

"I can't believe anyone could be so cold hearted," he yelled, "I thought Rando was bad, and then this! You're comrades, you're friends, died trying to protect you, and you claim to not care at all! They dedicated their lives to you, to protect you, and they died still trying. All they wanted was to see you the leader of earth. They were content just to share in your glory!"

"That's just—" Suzaku said softly.

"When we saw Byyako, all he told us to do was make sure you're safe. He told us all he knew about Yusuke's group in the hope we could get to him before he fought you. He told us not to save the dying him, but save his master, because you were more important!"

Suzaku reached out and grabbed the objects out of Akane's hand, "Alright, alright! I'll take them, just be quiet!"

Akane smiled, "That's good, Mr. Suzaku. I'm happy."

"Urrgg!" Suzaku collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.

Rando rolled his eyes, "Really?" he asked, "I just revived you and you're going to die again?"

"Mr. Suzaku," Akane cried, "are you all right?"

"Yes," he panted, "I just need to absorb my clones…" He held his right hand up as several spirits gathered in his hand, quickly healing the wounds that Rando made.

"Clones?" Rando asked, intrigued at his abilities, "I want to make clones…"

Akane spread his arms out in front of Suzaku so Rando couldn't reach him, "You're not going to take his abilities."

"Why not?" he asked irritably.

"You're the Human Hunter, right?" he smiled, "He's not a human."

Rando rolled his eyes, "It doesn't matter. I can take a demon's abilities if I want to and I don't think you understand; they're clones, Chiyoko, clones."

"I'm not letting you take my abilities!" Suzaku yelled, angry that they forgot he was there.

Rando rolled his eyes and looked over to Akane, "Let's go, Chiyoko. I don't know how long we were asleep for and we need to catch up to Urameshi… And I guess I can find someone else with clones."

Akane nodded, "All right," he said before turning to Suzaku and giving a low bow, "Thank you very much for all you've done and told us. We are—I am, at least, very grateful."

Suzaku frowned, "You mean you're leaving?"

"Yes, we are," Rando said, confused.

"You're not going to take me with you?" he asked, angrily clenching his fists at the thought of being left behind.

Rando laughed, as if he thought it a joke, "Of course not!" he smiled, "Why would I allow you to come with me?"

"I want to come," Suzaku said quickly, "Let me come with you!"

Rando stared at him, "I didn't revive you to listen to a complaining child. No, you can't come."

"Why not!?" he cried.

"You'll only hold us back."

"I have a reason to want to get revenge on Yusuke, too," he said, "He killed the Saint Beasts and Murugu, broke the Makai Whistle, destroyed my castle, and, most importantly, ruined my chance to rule earth! And, for you're information, I'm not a child!"

Rando smiled, "See, Akane," he whispered, "I told you it was a whistle."

Akane ignores Rando and bit his thumb nail, "Who's Murugu?"

"No one," Suzaku smiled, twirling the feather in his hand, "No one at all."

Rando still shook his head, "Still, you can't come with us. I would have left Akane behind if he couldn't locate Yusuke, and I called you a child because you act like one."

Suzaku punched Rando in the jaw, "Let me come!"

"No!" he yelled, pushing him down, "I'm not taking a spoiled—"

"Please," Akane said softly, getting between the two, "you two promised me you'd stop fighting…"

Rando nodded, "Exactly!" he yelled, "I won't be able to keep that promise if you let him come along! We'll always be fighting! We have equally 'arrogant' and 'controlling' personalities, remember!?"

Suzaku wiped the blood of his cheek, "Fine then. I'll get my revenge by myself."

"That's fine with me," Rando said, "but don't get in my way."

"I won't," he said, standing up slowly and looking to the City of Apparitions.

"Akane," said Rando firmly, "open a portal. This time, we're going to the Human World."

"Are you two sure you can't get along? We could all travel together…" Akane sighed.

"No, we can't," he said, "I'm sure."

"But, Mr. Rando…" he stopped, "All right, I can see that you're mind is made up. I'll take you to Human World now that I have some power back."

Rando put his hand on Akane shoulder, "Will we go to Human World this time?"

"Yes. I'm not lying this time. I have enough energy to take us to specified location, but it might take a few minutes," he said, then adding softly, "and I can take three people."

"I don't like him," he said, "I can barely stand him, in fact."

"If I didn't have Ayako," he asked slowly and softly, half-way hoping Rando wouldn't hear him so he didn't have to listen to the answer, "would you leave me behind, Mr. Rando?"

"Of course not," he smiled, "You can also travel dimensions. That's could be useful."

"I'm done," he said sadly, looking at the portal, "Can we go now?"

Rando nodded, "Yes, let's go. We need to catch up to… Yusuke!" he yelled.

"Umm, sir? Are you—"

"Urameshi, you thought you could trick me!" Rando smiled, quite proud of himself.

"We need to go, or the portal will—"

"Suzaku, you think you're tricky, but I see through your disguise!"

Suzaku stood up and walked over to him, "What are you talking about…?"

He pointed at Suzaku with a wide grin on his face, "He planned this! Yusuke _planned_ this!"

"Mr. Rando, we really—"

Suzaku raised an eyebrow, interrupting Akane, "He planned what?"

"You should know! He knew this all would happen! He thinks he's smart, but I've figured it out!"

"Figured_ what _out?" he asked.

"Sir, please don't ignore—"

Rando smiled, "Urameshi _knew_ I would follow him, he_ knew_ that I would need to know if he's learned the Spirit Wave, and he_ knew _that you'd be only one who knew when he was done!"

Akane walked up to him and stepped in front of him, "Sir, these are pretty wild accusations and my portals closing, so—"

"He planned all of this! Reviving you was a major part, too! He wanted me to bring you back to live so you would tell me that he hasn't learned the Spirit Wave! He wanted me to waste my life energy to revive you so I'm weaker!" Rando clenched his fists in front of his face, "I knew it! He knows he's too weak to beat me, so he wants a cheep shot to defeat me! The coward!"

There was a long pause before Suzaku smiled, "Yes, that's exactly what happened," he smiled, sensing what was coming next.

"But I'm not going to fall for it!" he yelled, "I'll be weaker for the next few weeks, so I'll need someone to help fight with me, seeing how I have little power left."

Akane smiled, "Mr. Rando, are you saying that…?"

"I can come with you…?" Suzaku asked softly, with a roll of his eyes and an overjoyed smile, "I guess I could…"

"I'm not giving you a choice!" he yelled, "I'm didn't make my self weaker to here you talk. I might not like you, but you're still going to help me!" he stared at the sky, "You hear that, Yusuke? I've seen through you've plan!"

"I'm so happy you're letting him come with us!" Akane smiled, "Let's go before the portal closes or I'll really not have any power left, though."

"Human Hunter…" Suzaku said as he walked up to him, "I still don't like you."

"Well, I hate you, so it all works out," Rando stared down at him.

Suzaku clenched his fists, "I can't stand you."

"Well, I'm already regretting my decision to let you come."

"What was that!? You should be thankful I'm here!"

"Thankful? For you?"

"You want to settle this in a fight!?"

"But I just revived you… You want die again so soon?"

"I can't believe I want to come with you!"

Akane smiled, "Please, you two. No fighting, remember? You promised."

"Fine," Suzaku turned and walked to the portal, "I can't believe this…"

Akane pushed him in, "Come on, it's going to close soon! C'mon, you too, Mr. Rando, let's go!"

Rando slowly walked up to the portal. Before he entered it, he threw his head back and looked at the dark green sky, "Yusuke Urameshi… I'd tell you to stop running away and face me… But, I guess it doesn't matter," he said softly with a smile, "because I'm coming after you. Watch your back, Spirit Detective." He laughed to himself as he slipped through the portal. Soon, when people remembered Yusuke the detective, they'd remember Rando, his killer, and all would fear his name.


	4. Kidnap Yukina!

Human world was so peaceful at night. The moon shone over the forest in the dead of night as the cool mist rose over the lake. The world was silent. That is, until annoyed demon decided it was too silent.

"Is this _all_ you do? Sit by a tree and wait for this Ayako girl to call?" Suzaku grunted, now bored out of his mind, "I can't take this anymore!"

Rando shrugged, "We have no idea where Urameshi is, though. If this isn't exciting enough, you can go back to the City of Apparitions and try to explain to your people that you and your Saint Beasts were defeated by a rookie Spirit Detective."

"So were you!" he yelled before his voice turned to a moan, "Is this all Human World is: a bunch of trees? There's nothing to do here! How are we going to know if Ayako gets the information if Akane isn't even here? Where is he, anyways?"

Rando cradled his head in his hands, embarrassed to say he knew, "He's off picking wild flowers."

Suzaku shook his head, "That's not manliest think I've ever heard…"

"Well, Chiyoko's not really the manliest person I've ever met," Rando sighed.

"I suppose," he sighed, "but, still, don't you do anything?"

Rando stood up, "We've never had to wait before. I went straight from prison to Maze Castle and Maze Castle to here, so this is a first for me, too," Rando grunted, "I don't like to wait."

"Urrgg!" Suzaku yelled, "I can't take this any more! I'm _so_ bored…!"

"And I can't stand hearing you complain any more," Rando sighed, "Where is Chiyoko…?"

"Mr. Rando, Mr. Suzaku! Where are you? Ayako called!" a voice lost in the forest chirped, "I know where Yusuke is!"

Suzaku smiled, "Well, speak of the devil, Human Hunter. Here he comes."

Akane peered through the boughs of the trees, "Oh, there you two are!" he chimed, "I left you alone and you're both still alive, too! That's good to hear."

"Where is Yusuke!?" Rando said quickly, "He's here, isn't he?"

He climbed through the branches, holding up his black overcoat in a pouch to hold all the flowers he collected, "You see this one, Mr. Rando?" he asked, holding up a flower, "It's red and blue, so it reminds me of you, since your hair is red and you have those blue tattoo-vein things…" he paused for a moment as he looked at the flowers, "I had one in here that was yellow and red and looked like Mr. Suzaku's hair, too, but I can't seem to find it…"

"I don't care about flowers or who they look like," Rando said sternly, "All I care about is where Urameshi is."

"Yusuke?" he asked in tune, nearly singing, "He's here. There's a man who apparently underground or something named Tarukane. He's holding an ice maiden named Yukina hostage for her tears," he shrugged, "I don't understand it at all. Some man is holding an ice apparition hostage underground to make her cry?" Akane shrugged, "Humans are weird…"

"An ice maiden? So, its money this Tarukane is after; he wants in organized crime, too," Suzaku smiled, "What should we do, Human Hunter? Are we going to save her?"

Rando frowned, "Of course not." He said slowly, "I have no need to rescue some apparition. I'm only here to kill Yusuke, nothing else. If necessary, though, this Yukina girl could be a valuable hostage and…"

Akane smiled with a blush, "Yay! I found it! See how it's a yellow flower with just a little bit of red?" He asked, holding it up, "It's just like your hair, Mr. Suzaku!"

Suzaku looked at Akane, "Where are these people?"

Akane sighed at his ignored flowers that took him so long to find, "Pretty close by, actually. It's not to far away," he said, looking at all his plants, "Ayako showed me on a map…"

"Which way are they?" Rando asked sternly.

"Umm… well, they're up… I think that's north," Akane said slowly with a sigh, "Up north it's colder, right? But if I put my coat back on, I'll lose all my flowers…"

"North's…" Rando paused, thinking, "That way. Let's go."

"All right, all right," Suzaku yelled as he ran after him, "Come, on, Akane! We come back for your flowers!"

Rando shook his head, _"You _can come back for the flowers."

Akane gently put the flowers on the ground and pulled his overcoat on, fixing the teardrop-shaped jade buttons, "Oh fine, then. I'll be back for you," he said softly, bowing to the vegetation, "Mr. Rando, Mr. Suzaku, please wait for me! I'm coming, too."

Rando paused as he looked at the fork in the path, "I…" he said, waiting for the other two to catch up to him, "Right. It's right."

Suzaku frowned, "I think it's left, then."

"Do you do this just to get me angry?" Rando stared at him, "I can't believe that I let you come along with me…"

Suzaku clenched his fists, "I can't believe I wanted to come!"

Akane shook his head, "You two, let's stop fighting and go… Right."

"Right!?" Suzaku yelled, "I wanted to go left!"

Akane shrugged, "I don't why I did, I just picked right."

"You just always agree with the Human Hunter!" he moaned.

"Which is a good idea," Rando sighed, "seeing how you see the house on the other side."

"That could be _any _house!" he yelled.

Rando shook his head as he walked down the right path, "He's an underground crime lord; Why would he live near other people where they can find him?"

Akane nodded as he followed him, "Come on, Mr. Suzaku. I think Mr. Rando's right."

Suzaku grinded his teeth, "You always think he's right…" he mumbled.

"That's because I always am."

Suzaku grunted, "Fine."

They approached the large house slowly. The wind was cold and there was no one around it. Not even the birds dared chirp here, and the cicadas fell silent. It was too quiet for Rando's tastes.

Suzaku smiled, "Aren't you going to go in?"

Rando nodded, "Yes," he said softly as he walked up to the mansion, "I just don't like the feeling I get from this place…"

Akane sighed, "Oh, good. So it's not just me…"

"I don't feel anything," Suzaku shrugged.

"No," Rando said as he kicked in the door, "There's defiantly something here, and I don't like it. Power is just… It's just surging out of this place… I feel a mix of spirit and demon energy."

Akane gasped as he followed him in, "That's exactly it, sir, and—" he stopped, "Is that woman… Stuck in the wall…?"

"I…" Suzaku shrugged, "I don't know, but I already know I don't like this place."

Rando continued walking at a brisk pace, "Let's go," he said, "We lost Yusuke at Maze Castle because we were too slow," he grunted, "I'm not going to let that happen again."

Suzaku rolled his eyes, "Alright, but a question, do you have _any _life besides trying to kill that Yusuke boy? I mean, he did a lot to me, but I'm not _obsessed _with killing the guy."

Akane tapped on his shoulder, "You might not want to do that," he whispered, "Mr. Rando is really irritable when he thinks he's found Yusuke."

"No. This is all that matters to me now." Rando quickly brushed passed the person in the wall to the next hallway, Akane and Suzaku slowly walking by the knocked out one with their head thrown into the wall. Soon they reached a long hallway.

"There's scorch marks on the wall…" Rando said, "They were made by spirit energy."

Suzaku ran his hand on the wall, looking at the dark sludge left on his hand, "It looks like it was made by the Shot Gun, too."

Akane sighed, "And this, I suppose, is who he fired it at," he pointed to a body lying on the ground. He knelled to the body and put two fingers on his wrist, "He still has a pulse, though."

"Remember, we need to keep going," Rando said as he walked through the hallway, "We lost him last time because of worthless things like life of people we don't even know. I'm thinking of Suzaku, here."

Akane gasped, "Well, we know him now, so it was worth it, right?"

"Not really," sighed Rando, "I would have preferred a fight, one-on-one, with him."

"Well, I know when I'm hated," Suzaku nodded, "I'm just sorry my knowledge and I weren't worth the time I took to save."

"You really weren't," Rando shrugged, "but that's in the past and I can't un-do it. Come on, Akane."

"I was just checking if he was alive," sighed Akane, "You don't need to rush these things, sir…"

"Come on, you two. We need to hurry up!" Rando yelled over his shoulder before he tripped on something, "Urr—"

"Ekk!" Akane squealed.

Suzaku's eye's widened after a laugh at Rando's pain, "Is that a demon? He's huge: almost the size of Genbu…"

Rando brushed the dust off his pants, "Why did Yusuke have to kill him in the middle of the hallway!?"

"Mr. Rando," Akane shuttered, leaning by the body, "he's not dead; he's moving."

Suzaku slowly backed up, "Maybe we shouldn't stay here…"

Rando looked at him, "Why not?" he smiled.

"W-we need to catch up with Yusuke, remember?" he sighed.

Rando grunted. There it was, a perfect opportunity to insult Suzaku, lost, all because of Spirit Detective Yusuke Urameshi. He always had to get the information before him. He always had to finish he always had to finish his case before he could get to him. He always had to be a coward that was so afraid of death he'd rush his cases to outrun the Human Hunter. Pitiful, just pitiful.

Akane stood up, "I don't like this place…"

Rando nodded, "I hope Yusuke doesn't go somewhere like here again."

"He should go somewhere," Suzaku smiled, "more familiar like Demon World."

"Weren't you born in the City of Apparitions?" Akane smiled.

"Nah," he sighed, "but Little Prince Koenma thought I had 'great potential' to be a S class demon as a child, so he made me my own dimension, I became leader of the Saint Beasts, and I never passed the C class."

"I don't want to go back to Demon World… My master would be so angry I didn't learn the Spirit Wave."

"Who's your master?" asked Akane.

"Someone I really do respect who's got their own title. 'The Brilliant Hunter's' taken one thousand human abilities," Rando sighed, "and taught me everything I know, and I've always dreamed to be like that. Yusuke prevented me from being one tenth of their power, though."

Rando turned as he came to the door. He threw open the door as his voice joined with a person in the room, "It's finished, you fool!"

Rando paused as he stared at the person in the room. He knew from that moment on he would always regret opening this door.


	5. Legacy of Tarukane

The girl with brown hair that curled on her cheeks and flowed down her back whipped out a gun, "Demon!" She yelled, "Don't come near me!"

Rando sighed, "You're not Urameshi."

The woman was about twenty three and in pink dress with the black strap around her waist. She also had pale pink lipstick, a wide-brimmed sunhat with the same black ribbon, and brown leggings complimented by dark shoes with a small, pink bow on them. She lowered her gun with a sigh, "I'm more important then him, demon."

"Mr. Rando, what's the matter!?" Cried Akane before looking at the girl and smiling, "Oh, you've made another friend? You're so charismatic, sir."

Suzaku ran in the room, "You're not an ice maiden…" He raised an eyebrow, "So, who are you?"

"Quiet, other demon!" She yelled, "This doesn't concern you."

"Do you know who I am?" he asked slowly.

The girl nodded, "Suzaku, Leader of the Saint Beasts, if I'm not mistaken. You're not even worth looking down upon. But I was informed you were dead: I was so happy… "

He gasped, "But, how did you—"

The girl only laughed, "Of course I knew that, other demon. I am, after all, a prodigy."

"Do you know where Urameshi is?" Rando asked sternly, "We're in a rush."

The girl shook her head, "Demon, you're not going to introduce yourself? Well, you don't need to, Rando, the Human Hunter."

"You…" Rando grunted.

A man in a white suit came from behind the door, "You shouldn't talk to milady that way." He said sternly as he closed the door.

"Mr. Rando, Mr. Suzaku…" Akane shuddered, "Please… Help me…"

Rando grinded his teeth together, "We don't have time for this. Open the door before I'm forced to kill you."

"Oh, hush up, demon. I have an offer for you."

Rando formed a Circle of Inferno in his hand and Suzaku brought out his clones, "We're listening." They said.

The girl straitened her sunhat, "I am Hiroko Tarukane. You will call me by my underworld name, "Rin."

Akane nodded, "Miss Rin, are you Mr. Tarukane's…"

"Granddaughter," she smiled, "and you needn't call me Rin, thought. You may call me Hiroko: Miss Hiroko if it's more comfortable."

Akane blushed, "Thank you, Miss Hiroko. I'm Akane Chiyoko, by the way."

Rando growled, "Get to the point already; I don't have time for this."

"Fine," she sighed, "Honestly, though, you need to get better manners, demon. It's awful to talk to you, but back to the point. I'm Hiroko, and the man standing behind you is my brother, Hotaru. We are the grandchildren of Tarukane."

"We know that," said a Suzaku, "Hurry up and tell us your offer!"

"You are so rude, other demon! You need to learn when to keep your mouth shut!" she yelled, "I'll tell you my reason, though. I want—No, I will come with you."

All the Suzakus looked at her, "No way!"

"Oh, why not?" Akane asked, "Please! Yusuke's group has four members, so why can't we!?"

"Absolutely not," Rando sighed, "I've been stuck with Chiyoko for my journeys here, and I can't count the times I've wanted to kill him. I didn't think it could get any worse—"

"Yawn." Hiroko twirled her hair, "So what? I'm better then him, right?"

Rando grinded his teeth, "If you could keep quiet for more then thirty seconds, I'd—"

"Demon," the man yelled, "don't you dare talk to milady like that!"

She stuck out her hand, fully extended in front of her, "Hotaru, it's alright. Negotiations are a time for tact and delicacy," she smiled, "even if the other party's a horrific—"

The same Suzaku that was insulated earlier turned his head, "Look, lady," he said loudly, "I'm this close to killing you, and we don't have—"

Hiroko slapped him, "Other demon, I cannot believe you said that to me!" She turned back to Rando with a smile, "Sorry for the interruption. So, more than you can count, eh? How high can you count?"

Rando threw his fist on the table, the flame in his hand burning through it, "You didn't let me finish. I don't like that," he took his hand out of the table, "And then I gave up my life energy to save Suzaku, who I don't even like, who's now following me around, too. I'm not letting you come with me."

"Please!" she moaned, "Oh please, oh please, oh please!? I _need _to!"

Rando shook his head, "No, and you sound just like the 'other demon' you hate so much."

"Oh, isn't there anyway?" she complained, "I want this more then anything else…"

"Umm…" Akane said softly, slowly walking up to her, "Excuse me…"

"Yes, Akane?" she asked in a voice a thousand times sweeter then the one she used talk to Rando, but that no one could call warm, "What do you need?"

"Isn't there a reason for this?" He asked softly, "I… I just don't understand why you're doing this."

Hiroko's frowned, "Oh, shut up. You don't need to know that."

"Hey!" The Suzaku yelled, "Why do you keep insulting us just to beg to come with us?"

The original Suzaku sighed as he pushed his hand on his clone's chest, "You're the only one I have trouble with. I even agree with her on this one, Suzaku."

"Yeah," the Suzaku sighed, "and I want my own name, too. It doesn't need to fancy or anything… I could just be something like Suzaku spelled backwards, and that's… Ukazus? Yeah, that's good. Can you call me that from now on?"

Akane smiled, "I sure can, Mr. Ukazus!"

Suzaku stared at him, "If you're going to insist on it, I'm not going to bring you out anymore…"

"Will you all just be quiet!?" Hiroko yelled, "I'm not interested in what you have to say to each other, so—"

"Just…" Rando sighed, "Let us go now. I'm not going to be more patient then I am now, so I'll ask you one more time. Will you let us go?"

Hiroko sighed, "Fine," she sighed, "I don't want the help of a demon anyways." She turned to the window and walked up to it, pushing her hand against it as she stared at the small trees slowly growing up, "Hotaru… Open the door, then. Take these awful people out of my sight."

Hotaru began to open the door, but before he could, Ukazus threw him out of the way and another one opened it, "C'mon, then! She let us out, so let's go, everyone!"

"I let myself out," Rando said as he slowly walked out, "because no one holds me hostage."

Akane folded his hands over his heart, "Miss Hiroko… Are you alright?"

Hiroko jerked around tears rolling down her face, "Just leave already!" She yelled, "I don't want anything to do with you anymore! Grandfather always told not to trust you… You demons! He said you were nothing but filthy… I… I hate you! I hate all your kind, and when I have enough evidence, I'll try again and I'll kill you!"

"I don't care," Rando shrugged, "what you've been through. All I care about is where Yusuke is, and you've held me back from finding him. I don't like that."

"I'm sorry," Akane sighed, "I'll leave. I hope I'll see you again someday."

Hiroko sniffed, "You irritate me… Because I hate liars."

"Liars…?"

"Don't take off the necklace," Hiroko breathed heavily, "or those… Demons will figure it out. I don't know why you're with them, but this jeopardizes your safety."

"I need to do this," he said, "It's the only way… It's the only way for my Princess to be happy."

"Let's go!" Called Rando, "We don't have much more time!"

Hiroko shrugged, "Be careful."

"I will," Akane sighed as he walked out the door, "Thank you for your concern, though."

"… I hate him," she sighed, "almost as much as I hate demons…"

Hotaru looked over his shoulder as he walked out the door himself, closing it behind him and looking at them, "You better be on your way. When you leave, walk on the other side of the wall and don't come near milady's door." He turned and walked the other way quickly.

Hiroko took the cushion off the small wooden chair next to the window. She sat in the chair and pressed the pillow to her face, "Why can't I ever do anything right…? I… I tried so hard but the only thing I see in them is the faces of all the ones I killed at those demon torturing that I enjoyed so much…" Hiroko threw the pillow on the ground as she buried her face in her hands, "Grandfather… You always taught me demons weren't people but things for only torment that all deserved die… All my life's work… The only thing I ever knew… Was it a lie?"


	6. Basil, Clove, and Oranges

Rando crossed his arms, "This place is too big!" He yelled irritably, "We've been walking around here for at least five minutes! Do you even know what Yusuke could have done in those five minutes? Do you!?"

Out of Suzaku's own small sense of mercy, he'd already absorbed his clones so they didn't have to listen to Rando's endless outburst, "Beaten you?"

"We probably already missed him!" He yelled, ignoring whatever Suzaku was saying. If Suzaku was saying it, it probably wasn't important, "It's all that girl's fault, too! If we missed him, on the way back I'm going to… I'm going to kill her!"

"Oh, please don't!" Akane cried, "Please don't hurt Miss Hiroko. She just wanted to come with us…"

Suzaku shrugged, "She just wanted to kill us."

"I think she's just a little insecure," Akane sighed, "She probably just wants friends, even if she's a bit… Cold."

"All I got from the conversation was 'I'll kill you'," Suzaku repeated with a sigh. "Now, that's not too friendly, is it?"

"I know," Akane sighed, "but she could change right? I mean—" He was interrupted by his glowing watch. The small, green screen popped up with the words 'Hayato Hibiki' on it, "Urgg…" he moaned.

Rando stared at him, "I thought you said you couldn't call Hibiki."

"…I lied."

"Chiyoko!" Rando yelled, "Didn't you say you'd never lie to me again!?"

Akane shrugged, "Well that's not _exactly _what I said…"

"All this guy ever does is cry and lie!" Rando groaned, "I grow tired of this."

Suzaku smiled. He sensed a way to insult Rando, "This might not be the right time for this but, did you plan to have so many rhyming words together? It sounded odd, and it made you sound stupid."

Rando grunted, "Do you ever have anything not idiotic to say?"

"You?" He asked, obviously annoyed.

Rando sighed, "I'm not going to give you the pleasure of fighting with me." He then looked at Akane intensely, but said nothing.

"What, it's not like I'm answering it," Akane rolled his eyes, "Sheesh, you need to relax and stop being so paranoid."

"…But I want you to answer it."

"E-eh!" Akane gasped, "Are… Are you serious, Mr. Rando?"

Rando smiled, "I am. Don't tell him I'm here, though. I want to see what he says to you."

Akane looked nervously at the watch, "I… Must I?"

"Why not?" Suzaku smiled, "I don't know who this 'Hibiki' is, but is there a reason you can't talk to him?" He then sighed in realization that he just insulted himself, "I can't believe there's more to this. I finally got 'Ayako' down and now there's a 'Hibiki', too…?"

Rando smiled as he moved to face him, out of the view of the screen, "Go on," he said, "answer it."

Akane sighed as he pressed the button down slowly, "Hibiki…" He whispered, "Why do you have to make life more difficult for everyone…"

A young man appeared on it. He was wearing the exact over coat as Akane and had long black hair with the ends and bangs bright red. He had a large frown on his face, "Akane! I'm so bored without you…! There's no one to skip work with and I'm bored! So bored! So... Bored..."

"Hibiki, I can't—"

"I have reached a state of _critical _boredom! I've never been this bored in my entire life! I don't care that you're helping a criminal, just come back! We can say that kid did it. Y'know, the one I blame for everything?"

"HIbiki, please, just—"

"Akane…" Hibiki sighed, "Just… C'mon, man. You could of called me or something… You should of let me know you weren't hurt or anything… You told Ayako, and she couldn't of cared less about you… I've held off of calling you 'cause I was worried you we're kidnapped or something and if they knew you had connection with the others they'd…"

Akane looked down, "Hayato…"

Rando rolled his eyes. This was not the pressing information he wanted to hear. He didn't want to hear a friendship speech, he wanted to hear Akane's secret plan, "Suzaku, lets keep moving. You can sit there and talk all you want, Chiyoko, we're moving on."

Suzaku nodded as he walked down the hall, "Alright, I'm coming. We'll be back, Akane"

Akane smiled, "I'll catch up with you later then. I need to take care of this first."

"Are you sure we should just leave him there, talking to his friend like that?" Suzaku asked softly as he caught up Rando, "He might be plotting or something."

"No," Rando shook his head, "he wouldn't. Even if he did, it doesn't matter."

Suzaku raised an eyebrow, slightly suspicious, "Huh? Why not?"

"Even if he arrests me, I'll kill Yusuke here. I missed Yusuke last time because Chiyoko had to stop and cry and mourn every Saint Beast. But now we don't have him. Now we can catch Yusuke. When they arrest me, I'll be content to rot away in Limbo. You'll be joining me, too."

Suzaku bit his nail, "I wonder if Koenma's noticed my Spirit's not there… I'm only a C class, so I shouldn't be too high a priority. But, when we get there, I'll see the Saint Beasts again, and I'll have to bear with them again…"

"Akane wasn't lying, you know," he said. "Byakko really said his only concern was your safety."

"It should be," Suzaku smiled. "I am his master, after all."

* * *

Akane watched as the two disappeared around the corner, "Hibiki…" He smiled, "There gone."

Hibiki smiled, "So how are they? I've heard you've revived Suzaku."

"We have, actually. How'd you know?"

"A little birdie told me," he smirked. "Literally. His bird's been crying for him since she's got here. I feel kinda bad for her, too. You can hear her though the door that holds all the souls. Nearly everyone knows Suzaku's been revived, but nearly no one cares. He doesn't have the Makai Whistle anymore, right?"

"True, but... I do need to catch up to them. Sorry, Hibiki. I'll talk to you later."

"Fine, but call me next time, okay?" He sighed.

"I will," He smiled, "I'll talk to you later, Hibiki."

Hibiki nodded, "Right. See you, Takehiko."

Takehiko Ai smiled, "Bye," he said as he closed the screen. Everything is going according to plan.

Rando glanced around the corner, "Chiyoko!" He yelled, "You're already done? Hurry up, then! I don't want to come back for you; it'll waste time!"

"Yessir!" He smiled, "I'm coming…"

The three ran up the stairs until the reached a room with multiple large screens. It was nearly empty with only a turning chair stuck into the ground. The whole room smelled of the winter and it hurt to touch the ground due to the sheer cold.

Suzaku walked to the center of the room. He sighed as he gently pressed his hand against the floor, only to jerk his hand back, "I don't like this place. Can't we go now…? If we wait by the entrance, we'll catch him on the way out… Won't we?"

Rando pressed himself to turn the handle, "I… No, not necessarily. He could go through another door."

"He could, but…" Akane said softly. "I don't think he would do that."

Rando clenched his fists and teeth. He slowly turned around, "What did you just say?"

"I… I just think that," Akane bit his lower lip, "he might not know we're actually, you know, following him. Maybe this is all coincidence…"

Rando sighed, "You think he just killed Suzaku, not thinking I'd revive him? Not thinking it'd make me weaker? He just broke the bridge by accident, not thinking to set me back?" The blue-tattooed demon shook his head, "No. He knows I'm here. I know it."

Suzaku shrugged, "I don't know." He sighed, "Couldn't this all just be coincidence…?"

"Suzaku!" Rando yelled, "It's not like I'd revive you if I wasn't sure about this! He knows we're coming… He knows…"

The man in the white silk suit and top hat appeared in the doorway as the two were arguing, "Excuse me," he growled, "Move, now. You've blocking my way."

Rando slowly slid over to the side, "Pompous fool…" He sighed as Hotaru walked through the doorway.

Akane followed him, "Mr. Hotaru." He nodded, although ignored.

Once he left, Suzaku rolled his eyes, "That guy is so…" He sighed, "He's so unbearable. He's like Rando in a top hat."

"Yusuke! I know you're here!" Rando yelled as he walked into a small observation deck overlooking a battle arena that was spattered with blood. It was actually hard to see it, though, since there was a headless Tarukane in the way. "Don't let Akane in," Rando called to Suzaku, "I don't want to hear it."

Suzaku looked back at Akane, "Apparently Rando doesn't want you to come in." Suzaku said, "That means it's probably disgusting like disembodied limbs or something. You shouldn't come in."

Akane blushed, "All right. I won't. Tell me what's in there, though."

"I will," Suzaku said as he walked into the room. He looked around and tripped on Tarukane's head. "Gross…!" He yelled, "Why is this here? No wonder Akane wasn't support to go in here. He kicked the head to the corner, "Ick. So, how do we tell that girl?"

Rando raised an eyebrow, "What girl? You mean Akane? He's not a girl… I think."

"No, no, no!" Suzaku laughed, "But I was confused, too, when I first saw him… But I was talking that Hiroko."

"Oh, yeah. _Her_," Rando groaned, his mind still on Yusuke, "I guess we should stop and tell here, but we've not staying longer then thirteen seconds. That should suffice for a dead grandfather, I think."

Suzaku rolled his eyes with a smirk as he closed the door behind them and walked to Akane, "Okay, there was a headless old man. I think it was Tarukane."

"And Yusuke wasn't there. I'm getting irritated with this." Rando clenched his teeth together, "I can't take much more. Although, I'm starting to expect he's not here. It's less disappointing that way."

"Mr. Tarukane is… Dead?" Akane gasped, "Oh, what will we tell Miss Hiroko!"

Rando raised an eyebrow. What kind of question was that? "That he's dead," he said emotionlessly.

"We can't do that!" Akane cried, "It's not tactful!"

Rando shrugged. Why should he care what's 'tactful'? All she did for him was stop him from finding Yusuke. If she wasn't there, he could have already killed Yusuke. Yusuke would be dead! His whole journey would be over if only she wasn't here! That girl was nothing but trouble! Rando hated her, and people who Rando hated generally got stalked. Generally unsuccessful stalkings, but stalkings all the same. But she would be different! Not another Yusuke, oh no. She would be brought down and killed, like the rat she was! Rando would have his revenge! The revenge would be slightly tardy, but tardy retaliation was still retaliation!

Akane tapped his shoulder, "Sir… Sir…"

"It's no good," Suzaku shrugged. "He's not listening to you. He's in one of those self-induced trances."

Akane pulled on Rando's ear, "Please don't ignore me…!"

Rando gasped, "Ah!" He turned and frowned at Akane, "Chiyoko! Why are you touching me!? Haven't I made it clear yet!? _I don't like you._"

Akane pulled his hands back to him, "Oh, I'm sorry, sir! We're at Miss Hiroko's door… Will you tell her? I don't think I can…"

Rando rolled his eyes. Why did he have to do this? Why did he have to do everything? He punched his fist into the door so hard, even he was surprised it didn't break down, "Tarukane!" He yelled, "Your grandfather's dead!" That was good. It didn't even take four seconds.

Akane grabbed Rando's shoulder and turned him to face him, "What did I say! You can't do that! You need to be more tact—"

The door broke open with a teary Hiroko holding a piece of paper in her hand, "He's dead!? Already!? I'll never get my chance now!"

Akane looked up at her, "Chance…? What do you mean…?"

"I'm not even in his will!" She cried, "I'm his granddaughter, and I'm not even in his will…! I was going to try to convince him to put me in…! Now I'll never get the money… He wants to be buried with it. Buried with his money! Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous?" She tore up the will in her hand, "Demon, this is the worst thing that's ever happened to me!"

Rando whole 'let's kill her' plan vanished. A smile of intrigue spread over his face, "Why do you hate demons so much?" He asked. He knew he'd get a long answer he didn't want to hear, but this could turn out well.

"I was born one of three children of Takukane's younger daughter," she sighed, not wanting to give the long answer she'd need to, but knowing she had to. This could turn out well, after all, "My older sister Junko has no spirit awareness what so ever and all she wants to do is dance," she rolled her eyes, disgusted, "but my brother and I were blessed with high spirit awareness. So we we're the only one's that knew… That knew that a demon killed our mother."

Akane was already crying, Suzaku was smiling, and Rando was bored out of his mind, "Go on," they all said in different tones of voice.

"It was terrible," she sighed, "but we both agreed that crying won't bring her back. We worked for our entire lives getting evidence to prove to the general public that demons exist. We did, but we did it too early. We didn't have enough information, so people thought we were crazy. We we're locked up in one of those mental facilities, even though we we're fine. They, for not believing us, we're the insane ones. I'm now searching for perfect and overwhelming proof of demons… So that is why I wish to come with you. That, and he killed my grandfather. You'll be encountering demons, no? I want proof."

"What do you know about Yusuke Urameshi?" Rando asked.

"A lot, but I can't tell you unless I can come with you," she nodded, "But, if you take me, and get into a fight with Yusuke or anyone really, I can examine their fighting style and tell you their weak points."

Suzaku sighed, "Don't you have anything else to due?"

"No really," she said with a smile, "I mean, no one wants to go on a date with me. It works out, though, because I don't like men. They all want pretty girls with a 'nice hourglass shape'. No one likes me because I'm not all that pretty, I have nearly no chest, I'm not pencil thin, and my old English dress isn't really the style anymore. But I'm twenty three now, so romance isn't really on my mind anymore."

Akane blushed, "You don't have to be really pretty, Miss Hiroko! My wife wasn't, and we got married! I didn't care… Although I thought she was pretty, no one else did…"

Hiroko laughed, "But I hate men."

"And I hate women!" Akane yelled before looking down, "But only after my wife left me…"

"So," she said to Rando, tired of provoking Akane, "can I come?"

Rando paused, "… Alright," he said, "you can come, but don't get in my way."

Hiroko blushed, "Oh, really? Thank you, demon!" She ran into the room and picked up a a small stuffed bear with a hat and dress to match her's, a pink pen with a heart on it, a pad of paper, a small bag of potpourri that smelled of basil, clove, and oranges, and a pink parasol with a black ribbon on it, "Tell Junko I'll be back soon!" She called to her brother, who was hiding in the shadows, "And that grandfather's dead."

The man nodded, "I will, milady. Please, don't do anything rash… And be sure to stay warm."

"You follow these Toguro brothers, alright?" She smiled.

"I will," he smiled, "Please, be careful. Don't catch a cold... And don't drink tap water. It's not safe…"

"Fine, fine. I'll see you later, Hotaru! Try to figure out if Yusuke or Toguro killed grandfather. Oh, and I tore up the will, so the money's ours!"

"Good. I'll go after Toguro."

"Bye, then!" She ran to the exit with the others trailing. As she stepped out the door and opened the parasol with a warm smile, the sky cleared and the birds began to sing again. Rando knew he'd regret this decision.


	7. The Brilliant Hunter

"Oh, it's so hot! Fan me, other demon!" Hiroko yelled as she sat under a tree in the forest outside her house, "This is awful. When to I get to see some demons killed? I'll die of boredom before I get the chance…"

Unfortunately for Suzaku, she was just getting started on this rant. Hour three of Hiroko's complaining was worse then hour two. And it was universally agreed nothing could be worse then hour two. "Please… Just be quiet…" He covered his ears.

Rando grunted, "I hate Ayako. She gets this info way too late for it to be any good to us!"

"Please, don't be mad at her, sir…" Akane sighed, "She tries so very hard for us…"

"Oh! I figured it out!" Hiroko chirped, "You think you're smart, but you aren't."

"What did you figure out, Miss Hiroko?" Akane smiled.

"I figured out that…" She paused and looked around, to add dramatic effect, "That you demons are putting me in such an unbearably hot forest because you're trying to cook me alive! Ugly, filthy, idiot… Uh, ugly demons! I've figured it out! Aha ha!"

"Look, Hiroko…" Suzaku sighed, "Don't you know—"

"That's Rin to you! Don't you know what Rin means!? 'Dignified', 'severe', 'cold'. That is how I'm known to the crime lords for my tact and delicacy in the demon torturings." Tact and delicacy. These were Hiroko's favorite words, "And all I'll ever know is one thing. Annihilate all sinners without delay. That is the motto of the Tarukane family."

Suzaku rolled his eyes, "Rin, I—"

"I changed my mind. Miss Rin… Or Lady Rin, if you like that better."

"Miss Rin, I don't—"

"Yes?" She smiled, "That's my name. You're learning." She patted Suzaku's head, "That's good."

Suzaku clenched his fists together, "Look, 'Miss Rin'… You're in the Tarukane family, right?"

She put her hands together, "That's good. I mentioned that… thirty seconds ago, and you still remember!"

"You know where that Yusuke boy is, don't you?"

Rando heard what he needed to. He swung his head around to see the two. "What?"

Akane gasped, "Is that true, Miss Hiroko? Why have you been hiding that?"

"You never asked me." She shrugged.

"Yes, I did!" Rando yelled, "Four times!"

"Well, I remember now," she laughed. "He's fighting some creep in nineties' sunglasses and his freaky brother who rides on his shoulder… Eww. Grandfather hired them… The Toguro Brothers or something."

"Where are they?" Rando asked sternly.

"The Dark Tournament. I went one year. I got to see limbs fly, that's for sure." She paused, "It's fun. Can we go? Please…!"

Suzaku looked at Rando, "That can't be right… That doesn't start for… Six more months now, doesn't it?"

Hiroko rolled her eyes, "Idiot. Obviously, he's training."

"Training?"

"Duh." She laughed, "Of course he is. I said so, so it shall happen. I am, after all, a prodigy."

Suzaku sighed, "A prodigy is not a physic…"

"Hey… Demon, do you have a teacher?"

Rando nodded, "I do."

"Well," Hiroko smiled, "Let's go train with them then! It would be _so_ un-cool to kill him when he's training… Bleck! Why don't you kill him at the final battle of the Dark Tournament! Now that's classy…"

"Idiot," Rando sighed as heraised an eyebrow. "Why would I do that? I could kill him now!"

Hiroko stood up and pointed at him, "Because… It's… Classy…! What do you not understand about that!? I doubt you'll make it to the final battle, but, in the rare chance you do, it'll be cool and classy and done with style! Just think about it! The final battle of the Dark Tournament, Yusuke versus… Uh, Demon! If you lose, it'll be pitiful, but if win…" She went down to a whisper, as if the other two weren't allowed to hear it, "I might just… Learn your name…! Won't that be great?"

Rando rolled his eyes. He wasn't one for class, but he'd hadn't reported to the Brilliant Hunter after losing the Spirit Wave… Or the Calico Touch… Or the Final Sphere… Anyways, it might be a good idea to go see her. "Fine," he sighed, "We can go to the Dark Tournament… And go see my teacher. We'll get trained just like Yusuke, and then finish him… 'Classy"…"

Suzaku yawned, "So we've going to Demon World…?"

Akane smiled, "Yay! I want to meet you're teacher! Is he nice?"

Rando shook his head, "No, but _she _is nice."

The color drained Akane's face, "A g-girl…? D-do I have to come…? I hate women…"

"Master Nanami is very… masculine. It won't be a problem."

Suzaku smiled, "So… You're saying everything you've learned was taught to you by… By a woman? Pathetic."

"No, she's not," Rando looked up. "She's the farthest you can get to pathetic. The Brilliant Hunter's brash, yet… Brilliant."

Akane shrugged, "If you say so… I could open a portal there, if you want, but we might not end up anywhere near… _Her _house…"

"Hey! Hey!" Hiroko blushed, "Ohmigosh, you _love _her, don't you!? That's so c-u-t-e cute!"

"No."

Hiroko sighed, "Y'know what, demon? I don't like you. You're so… Un-classy."

Suzaku stood up and smiled, "Well, we're going? Miss a perfectly good opportunity to kill Yusuke for _class?_"

Rando nodded, "Yes… If he's already learned the Spirit Wave, Genkai can't teach him much. We need to train as well to learn a move that can best it. If he's going to waste his time trying to learn a move he already knows… He'll be basically not doing anything for six months! As we get stronger, his skills will wane…!"

Suzaku rolled his eyes, "Look, Rando. We've been over this. _He hasn't learned the Spirit Gun._"

"Wrong!" Rando yelled as he pointed at him, "He's learned it… He just didn't find you worthy to kill you with his most powerful attack! Why didn't I think of this before!?"

"Wait, wait, wait! Me, not worthy? Me!? I was seven times more powerful him with my clones, and I wasn't worthy!?"

"You know," Akane whispered, "one likes to be called his own name…"

Suzaku looked at him, "I don't like that one; he doesn't deserve a name!"

"See?" Rando smiled, "Yusuke overestimated you. He could have waited until the end of the Dark Tournament to learn the Spirit Wave, but he thought he needed it for you. Obviously, he thought he would fight more difficult opponents, like me, after the Genkai Tournament. But you let him down."

Suzaku clenched his fists, "He thinks I'm weak!?"

"Yes, other demon," Hiroko smiled, "At least weaker then demon… Ouch."

"…That…" Suzaku panted, "That won't go unpunished! Yusuke, you're going to die by my hand…!"

"No, he's going to die by _my _hand," Rando corrected. "You may help, but I get the final blow."

"Fine by me," Suzaku shook his head, "Just make it bloody, human hunter."

Rando smiled, "I'll make it so gory, it'll be hard to comprehend how much blood I made him spill. You won't even believe a human body could hold so much blood in one, pitiful, human."

Akane was as white as a sheet, "… You won't really do that, will you, sir…?"

"He'd better!" Laughed Hiroko, "Those people made me poor… Poor, me! I know, I know. I graphic thought, but it happened… Someday in the future, they'll call this… 'The Great Disaster in which Hiroko had only Seventeen Million Dollars". What will I do with that kind of money…? I can't afford to keep that house in Germany! Mother bought me that house…!"

Rando ignored Hiroko and turned to Akane, "Can you open a portal to Demon World?"

"Yes," he said softly, "but I won't be able to come… The Kakai Barrier is strong, you see? I'm a little too powerful to get through it, and I don't have enough strength to take down the barrier: Even only part of it… I could make a tiny hole there, but you'd need to move fast. It'd take a little while, too. If you can give me a relative location, I can get you… Rather close."

"…But I have that house in Russia I can sell…" Hiroko mumbled on, "That one only cost me two point four million, but I like that one… I went there twice last summer… It's a great way to beat the heat… But that one doesn't have an inside pool, does it…?"

Suzaku raised an eyebrow, "Hey, we need five people to enter the Dark Tournament, right? You and me… If Akane's not training and Hiroko's… Well, Hiroko, then how are we going to get in three men short?"

"Well, excuse me, other demon!" Hiroko gasped, "I'm coming! I _demand_ it! Brother's gonna be, too, and I promised him I'd follow Yusuke. Unfortunately, I missed Yusuke, and have to follow you around, but still… If he's gonna be there, I'm gonna be there! Make you're kills bloody for me, will you?"

Akane smiled, "I hate it, but… I have some fighting abilities. I might not train with you, but I can still fight…"

Rando nodded, "I might be able to convince Master Nanami to help us. That's five."

"Hey, Akane, couldn't you get that friend of yours to open it?" Suzaku asked, "Then you could come, too."

"H-Hibiki…?" Akane gasped, "I don't think Mr. Rando would approve of getting Hibiki's, an S.D.F.'s, help."

"An S.D.F.?" Rando raised an eyebrow, "It thought he was a security guard."

Akane grunted. That normal, sweet look on his face was disappearing only to be replaced by the irritated other half of him, "What? I never said that. I said he liked to slip off from work to talk to me. I never said where he worked."

Rando sighed. He knew what was going on, but proving something to this side of Akane was no easy task. "Then why does he have one of those wrist bands?"

"He stole it," Akane sighed. "Just an excuse to talk to me. All the guards have 'em, so he just took one's. Anymore questions, 'cause this is going nowhere, Rando."

"But if all the guards have them, they should be wired all the same. Yet you can only talk to two people."

"Yes, I can. So what?" He shrugged and let out a laugh that would get on everybody's nerves after ten seconds, "This isn't going anywhere. I re-wired mine 'cause I didn't want to hear all the reports from those people I don't like."

Rando sighed, "Okay, then. So Hibiki's not a guard. What are you?"

"A guard," Akane rolled his eyes. "Duh."

"So why aren't you an ogre?" He asked, "You're a demon, right?"

"Yes, I am. This is only place I could work," he shrugged. "I live in Spirit World because I married a poltergeist being: Y'know, one of those races that the S.D.F. and Koenma are? We had a daughter and my wife didn't want to raise her in Demon World, so, with Koenma's okay, I moved to Spirit World and got a job there. Yeah, I know I don't look like a demon, and heck, I look more like a human than anything else, but I am one. So, any more questions?"

Rando clenched his fists. He knew exactly what Akane was hiding, but he needed to prove it. Granted, he could just kill him now, but them it wouldn't be justified. Now he didn't care what was justified and what wasn't, but he bet that Yusuke couldn't do this, and he wasn't about to lose anything to Yusuke.

Hiroko laughed, "Tee hee! You're so funny, Akane! Only demons would believe a story so stupid…! But on another note… About this Hibiki guy… Call him."

Akane gasped. Clearly he was back to his quiet state, "I really… I really shouldn't."

"Oh, c'mon!" Hiroko whined, "Other demon agrees with me, don't you? C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon…!"

'Other demon' couldn't be paying less attention. He sighed, "Yeah, yeah. I do."

"Good!" She smiled, "Now that's two-on-two, and , of course, my vote counts for… Let's say seven, so that's eight-on-two! Call him…!"

"… I have to?"

Hiroko's eyes widened, "I said so… So of course you have to! What kinda question is that!?"

Akane turned around, "M-Mr. Rando…" The look in his eyes was sickeningly sweet.

"I don't care," he shrugged. "Just do something…"

He pressed the green button down and scrolled down to 'Hayato Hibiki'. The pressed it down one more time and, after a few seconds, he appeared on the screen.

"Hey, it's you! So, by the way, you probably need something, don't 'ya?" Hibiki laughed.

"Will you… Come here?" he asked softly, "I need you to open the barrier with me enough that I can slip through…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Me!? You're crazy! I can't do that; I'm not powerful enough!"

"Then… Can you get Ken'ichi's help?"

"You're bro? I guess I could…"

Akane sighed. _Great,_ he thought, _I have to go crawling back to Ken'ichi again… When will I ever grow up…?_


	8. More Belovéd Son

"Heh…" Ken'ichi threw his head back and let out a laugh. "When are you ever going to grow up? You're so pitiful, I can't help but… But laugh!"

"Brother…" Akane whispered, "Oh please… I really need you're help."

The man flashed a smug smile, "You always do." Ken'ichi was like a taller Akane, one with longer limbs. His S.D.F. uniform was adorned with prayer beads despite the fact his personality didn't exactly match the devout type. His hair was tied up into a small bun on the side of his head with a long ponytail flowing out of it and his eyes were an eerie golden-brown, "You really couldn't handle yourself when our mother died."

Hiroko looked at Akane, _So, he lost his mother, too… It was so difficult for Hotaru, Junko, and me… But we all stuck together. With such a… unsupportive and uncaring older sibling… How'd he manage to get by, all on his own…?_

"Hey!" Hibiki yelled, "I didn't get down here to insult you're brother! We need you to make a t_iny _hole in the Kakai Barrier so Tak—" Hibiki paused as he took a deep breath. That's right… He wasn't Takehiko anymore, but 'Akane'. Why did he have to pick such a hard-to-remember, feminine name? "Akane can get through…"

Ken'ichi raised an eyebrow, "Akane? Oh, yeah right… Her… I mean him."

Akane blushed, "But brother, you know I'm a boy…!"

"Ehh…" He shrugged, unable to care less about whoever this person was or what he was saying, "You sure don't sound like one… Oh, and I hope you're happy. I was going to swear, but I, somehow, remembered you're, like, super sensitive to swearing… I was going to say "You sure as he—"

Tears rolled down Akane's cheeks, "Don't say it! Don't say it! Swearing is extremely vulgar and rude and offensive, and… And it's…"

"Un-classy," Hiroko finished, "Swearing is for people who lack the tact and delicacy to hold up a normal conversation. I don't like it. When everyone worships me for destroying Demon World, I'll make swearing illegal. If people do, they'll be fed to my demon slaves."

Hibiki's jaw dropped, "Wait, wait wait, wait! W-what! Demon slaves…! What are you—Who are you!?"

Hiroko gave a long, melodramatic gasp, "You… You don't know who I am…? Poor thing…! Let me shed some much needed light on that tiny little brain of yours!" She reached into her bag and pulled out her bear with the matching dress. She gave it a warm smile and a quick hug along with a quiet, "I've missed you, Hikari…" before taking out what she was looking for: The heart pen and the fluffy pad of paper, "Date… August twenty-seventh… Name…" She paused and looked up at Hibiki, "Name?"

"…H-Hayato… Hayato Hibiki…" He said softly.

"… Hibiki…" She gave a slow, evil smile, "Foolish sin against the Great Hiroko … Claimed to not know me… Thinking of… Excusing this once… Not sure yet…" She slowly spoke as she wrote the words down.

Rando glanced over her shoulder. It was obviously custom-made for her, since the categories were, in fact, date, name, and foolish sin against the Great Hiroko, all written in sparkly pink letters. The book was over half filled, but, for her, it didn't necessarily mean she'd had her entire life. Or over three days. A lot was a sin to Hiroko.

"Oh, yes!" She smiled, "I forgot to answer you're question. My name is Hiroko Katsou, but my mother's maiden name is Tarukane. I often go by that, since the Tarukane's are way better known for their demon killings then my father's side, the Katsou's. I'm a millionaire whose goal in life is to destroy all demons because they're nothing but trouble. They killed my mother, killed my grandfather, and locked my twin brother and me in a mental facility for three years because people thought we we're crazy after we said they existed. I've been sent to follow Yusuke Urameshi, but I messed up, and now am stuck with these demons. Which brings us to our second question," she laughed as she narrated her life story joyfully. Although telling how her mother died to a total stranger, she learned to keep her cool. It's un-classy to lose your cool, "demon slaves! Well, when demons invade, I'll be prepared, unlike those freaks that thought I was crazy. When they beg me for help, I'll kill them all with over-priced technology! Of course, we can't kill all the demons… We'll need some for demon torturings, after all! I'll imprison some and keep a few 'demon slaves'. Since demon and other demon and Akane helped me, I'll keep them as servants, but I'll be rather kind to them. They'll get beds, even! Oh, Hiroko, you're too kind for your own good…"

"As you can plainly see," Suzaku sighed, "she's full of herself…"

"I am not!"

Ken'ichi leaned down and whispered in Akane's ear. It was loud enough that he could hear him, but the two arguing children couldn't, "Well, well, well, Takehiko. She's just like you're old wife."

"No," he shook his head, "no one is just like her. She was charming and optimistic, arrogant and selfish… No one is even close to being her, and no one ever will be. No one will ever replace her… She had such a pretty name, too... Akane Chiyoko..."

Rando looked up at Ken'ichi, "So… Are you a demon?"

"Ugg!" Akane yelled. "Yes, yes…! He's a demon, too! He moved to Spirit World with me!"

Ken'ichi laughed, "Regretted it ever since, too."

Rando smiled, "So… Can you open a portal now?"

"Sure," Hibiki said, "He knows his way around Demon World, so if you could get relative location going, we could get you spot-on!"

"Wait," Suzaku stood up with a rather worried look on his face, "doesn't it take a lot of S.D.F.s to open the barrier?"

"Yes," Ken'ichi laughed. "But I'm strong. I can do the work of six—No, seven normal S.D.F.s!"

"Good," the red-haired man said deeply. "You know… The Forest of Aina?"

Suzaku gasped, _No… It can't be…_

"Yeah… I do," Ken'ichi smiled. "So… Hmm… If Akane and Hayato help me… It'll take four point three minutes. Exactly."

"That's fine."

He turned to the other two, "Ready, guys? C'mon, we can't keep… This demon waiting!"

Hiroko snorted, "I am the only one to call him demon. Keep that in mind."

"Fine by me, Hiroko."

She blushed, "You… Rin! You shall call me Rin!"

Rando tapped Suzaku's shoulder as the two in the background argued, "Hey… Are you okay? I'm not having dead weight on my team, so why aren't you saying anything… Idiotic?"

Suzaku stared at him intently, "You… You really mean it… The Forest of Ania?"

"…Yeah, that a problem?"

"No," Suzaku sighed. Several words came to mind, all of a childhood he wanted to forget. The elder, Ryuunosuke, Murugu, the last aosaginohi baku, Satomi, the cry of the yosuzume, and, what haunted him the most, Jirou.

Akane panted, "How much longer…? This is… Hard…"

"Heh," Ken'ichi laughed. "You tired already? Poor you."

Hibiki looked over his shoulder, "Not much longer… We're nearly done."

Hiroko stood up and brushed some imaginary dust off her dress, "Alright, I've decided. I'm coming, too. I want to meet this Brilliant Hunter girl and see if she's worth being called Brilliant, 'kay?"

Rando looked at her, "Fine, it'll be dangerous."

"Fine by me!" She winked.

"Good… I'm her only student, but she has an adopted daughter. She's a demon, but sensitive."

Hiroko smiled, "I'll try to go easy on her, but you know how I am sometimes…"

Suzaku smiled, "Let me guess… Is the answer to this 'beautiful'?"

"No, other demon," she rolled her eyes. "I'm beautiful _all _of the time, not just some. Well, except for mornings…"

Akane shook his hands out, "Ow, ow, ow! Well, we're done…"

"Heh, you're weak...!" His smug older brother laughed, "I didn't even break a sweat!"

Hibiki sat down next to Akane, "I sure did…"

Ken'ichi started working on another portal to Spirit World, "So you guys are entering the Dark Tournament, are you?"

Rando nodded, but said nothing.

"Heh…" He smiled, "Good luck… 'Cause you'll need it, …Rando, was it? Yes, that's right. Well, anyway, it's gonna be a rough ride for you guys… Just a bunch of C-classes going it to the Dark Tournament?"

"Yeah!" Suzaku laughed, "And we're going to win, too! I'll kill that Yusuke boy if it's the last thing I do…!"

Rando sighed, "If you do, it will be the last thing you do. We've been over this, Suzaku. I get to have the final blow and you… May help."

Suzaku rolled his eyes, "Details, details… I just want to see him dead…!"

"Oh…" Ken'ichi stopped and left the portal half-open, "Ayako told me to give you this."

Rando picked up the small egg, "What is it?"

"Not for you, unless you want to have yourself devoured by your own hatred!" Ken'ichi sighed, "You really do know nothing, do you? This is a Spirit Egg. Inside it is a Spirit Beast. You with me so far?"

Akane slowly walked up to it, "Ohh…"

"They're three right now. Koenma gave one to Yusuke, and I have one…" He reached a hand into his pocket, "… Two with me here. They're incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands. Since you're only about half as strong as Yusuke, I thought I'd give you the other two. Hopefully no one realizes I took them."

Hibiki smiled, "If they do, I can blame it on that kid I always blame for everything."

"Me?" Akane sighed.

"I don't blame _everything _on you! Not the incident with the ittan-momen…!"

Akane laughed, "Don't remind me about that! Anyway, it was you're fault, and you pinned the blame on me!"

He rose an eyebrow, "Again? Really?"

"Shut up!" Ken'ichi yelled irritably, "Anyway, this is extremely dangerous. They reflect the person's inner soul. If you're good, it'll aid you, but if you're bad, it eats you. By just touching it, Rando probably gave it enough evil for thirty days of a normal person. Someone pure of heart needs to take care of it."

"Me," squealed Hiroko. "I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it…! How much?"

"I wasn't thinking you… Now you could hatch them both evilly and bring them to a big city and watch 'em fight to see who gets to eat you, but if you want to beat Yusuke, and be sissy, hatch them with love."

Rando looked over to a disappointment-filled Suzaku. Obviously, he wanted to watch them fight more then he wanted to kill Yusuke. Avenging the Saint Beasts meant nothing if he could watch giant monsters fight in a big city over who gets to eat him. That was probably the idiot's dream.

Suzaku gave a dissapointed sigh. He half wanted to see them fight, but, more then that, people bore him. Words, details, sentances... They couldn't be more boring. Whatever this guy was saying, it was uninteresting and painful. Why Ania and why now...?

"Now," Ken'ichi smiled. "The most pure on here is Ak—"

"I'm telling you," interrupted Hiroko, "it's me!"

Ken'ichi stared at her, "No, it's not! You're probably worse then Suzaku!"

Suzaku gasped, "What are you talking about!?"

"Yeah!" She yelled, "What is it!?"

Ken'ichi rolled his eyes before turning to Akane, "See these? You need to pay extra good attention to them… If you drop them, they'll explode… So… Catch!" He threw the eggs over Akane's ducking head, only to be caught by Suzaku.

Hiroko sighed, "Why didn't you catch them…?"

Akane pointed at Ken'ichi, "He said it would explode…!"

Suzaku rolled his eyes and shook his head as he put the two in his hands, "Here. Don't drop them, even if they won't explode.

"…They won't?"

Rando looked at the steadily closing portal to Demon World, "Come on, we need to go."

Akane turned around to thank his brother and friend, but they we're already gone. He sighed as he slipped through the portal with Rando.

"C'mon, other demon! Let us be off!" Hiroko laughed.

Suzaku starred at the portal after Hiroko slipped through it. He sighed, "Aosaginohi baku… I'm not ready to see you again… I'm not able to inherit the title you gave me, and we both know it… So why am I coming?" He whispered as he silently slipped through the portal.


	9. Drunken Waltz

The four looked around the forest of trees a deep green. Unlike when Akane tried to open a portal, they weren't dropped from the sky, but, to everyone's relief, we're standing safely on the ground.

"Oh…" Hiroko smiled, "So this is Demon World… It shows, it smells… Bad here."

Suzaku sighed. Yes, this was defiantly where he grew up: the calmest part of Demon World. The Forrest of Ania and, on the other side, the villages of Ania to the north and Hotomi to the south, we're the most peaceful and hidden in Demon World. There was always plentiful food: as it's so hidden, the demons here have learned to eat some other roots and herbs, but human was still a delicacy. A calm atmosphere with children raised to play and live, not fight and kill were all one could sense here. It was a disgrace to all Demon World. The only thing to worry about was the aosaginohi baku, but no one really believed it was more then a trick the Elder used to scare the children into always going to bed on time. No one except Suzaku. He knew it truly existed.

"I'm coming to get you, aosaginohi baku… This time, I'll do it," He whispered under his breath.

"Oh! Ohmigosh! Is that it!?" Hiroko squealed as she pointed to a very large, lavender mansion that looked a little out of place in the dark forest. "It's so pretty! Let's go! Let's go…! I wanta go in…!"

Akane smiled, "Oh… It is very nice looking…"

Rando through the door open, "Miss Nanami! Miss Nanami…! It's me, Rando…! I've come back…!"

The house was as beautiful inside as it was out. There were two grand staircases and three very large doors on the upper level and one on the lower. The atmosphere was all purple with flower-filled vases on every table. It didn't seam like Demon World in this two-acre mansion of paradise. Even Hiroko admitted that it smelled nice and of lavender and lilac.

A young woman ran out from the large door in the middle of the upper leavel, "Oh my… Oh my! Rando! It's Rando…! Mother, Rando's finally come back…!" She ran down the left staircase and jumped up to him, wrapping her arms around her, "Oh, Rando… You we're gone so long… I was so worried…"

"Umeko…" Rando looked down at her. She was expectantly pretty, with big, black eyes, short black hair that was tied in twists above her forehead and gently flowed down the back of her neck, dark skin, and light blue armor. Rando knew she loved him, but he couldn't care less about her. It wasn't that he didn't like her, but, every time he saw Umeko, he was training with Nanami, and, unfortunately for her, she was only a distraction to him.

"Oh…! It… Rando, right? Yeah!" A middle aged, but beautiful, woman dizzily tumbled her way out of the door. Her long, blonde hair was tied into a bun behind her head and she wore a yellow suit with a red tie, "Well, you've ever brought friends…! That's… Lovely, I think!" She tipped around as if she was, and she was, a drunk. Somehow she managed to no fall down the stairs, which everyone was afraid she would, to wrap her arms around Rando, "Oh… You're so sweet… Coming home and all. I thought you we're dead…" She hiccuped and gave a small giggle.

"Introduce us, demon," Hiroko commanded with a flip of her hair.

"Oh… Yes." He gently pushed Nanami off of him and turned to his team, "This young man… Yes, he is a man, is Akane Chiyoko. He helped me escape from prison."

"Prision!?" Umeko gasped, "Oh my word, what did you do, Rando…!"

As if attempting to make a good impression, Nanami shook the 'drunk' off and turned into a refined, sophisticated woman, like and older and less irritating Hiroko, "Ho! I knew it! The cuties are always criminals! So, whatda' do, kiddo?" She teasingly pinched his cheek, "Steal a toy from you're little buddy on the playground?"

Akane didn't have the nerve to remove her hand or even tell her he wasn't a criminal. He looked at Rando with a begging whimper, "… Umm…"

"He's not a criminal." Rando said quickly, "He's a security guard."

"Oh, ho!" Nanami laughed, "Well, well, well, kiddo! You've got more guts then I first thought: helping a criminal escape like that!"

"I was kidnapped…!" Akane protested.

"Ho ho…" She smiled at him, "Kiddo… You're so cute."

"… I'm married…! …Well, technically, I think we've divorced… Well, we we're never _legally _married in the first place, so I'm not sure if that's considered a divorce, per say, but…"

Nanami playfully punched Akane's shoulder, but, due to his weak body, he fell over as if it was a real, and intentionally hurtful punch, "Kiddo, you're so funny! But I'm done picking on you… Let's have a new victim…" She carefully looked over the two, "… Blondie!" She yelled, "Who're you?"

"S-Suzaku, the former leader of the Saint Beasts…" He said quickly, as if worried he'd get the question wrong.

"…" She stared at him for a second with a look one could almost call disgust, but a slow smile of intrigue spread over his face, "… Suzaku…! So you're the little boy… The only one to ever challenge the aosaginohi baku… Fascinating…"

"You… You know about that…?," Suzaku gasped, surprised, "I didn't think that anyone could ever—"

"Yawn!" Hiroko yelled, "B-o-r-i-n-g! I couldn't care less about this or demon's or other demon's backstory!" She flipped out her notebook, "Sin against the great Hiroko… Other demon boring me to death…"

Umeko looked over her shoulder, "Umm… Y'know, 'demon', since it's replacing his name, should be capitalized…"

"Ugg… You're clueless," Hiroko sighed as she closed her fuzzy pink journal of sins, "Things below me don't deserve to capitalized. In fact, since I'm so great and above the others, I'll put my whole name in capital letters!" She angrily got out her book, "Hiroko… H-I-R-O—"

Nanami rolled her eyes, "You must be… Let me guess, Hiroko?"

"Good!" She smiled brightly, "You're in the know, demon's-demon-teacher-chick-person!"

"Hiroko…" Nanami smiled at her, "May I call you Hiroko?"

"No." She said quickly.

Nanami was slightly taken back, "Alright then… Rando, she sure is… Pleasant to be around…"

"She just followed me…!" Rando tried to explain, "I didn't _want_ her come or anything!"

Hiroko laughed, "Oh, yes you did, silly! You said, and I quote, "Alright, you can come, but don't get in my way." That sounds sorta like you want me to come, am I right?"

Nanami laughed, "Well, you certainly aren't fond of my Rando, are you?"

"Not really, no."

"Don't worry," She whispered in Hiroko's ear, "I like making him do stuff he doesn't want to, too."

Hiroko looked up, "… Really?"

"Yep. I think we'll get along swimmingly."

"Sorry," She sighed, "I don't like demons."

"Mm." She shrugged, "Pity."

"Oh…" Umeko looked at Rando, "Oh, yes… You must need something for coming here…"

Nanami nodded, "Some nasty old hag with some nasty old hag technique… Did ya get it?"

"…" Rando looked down, "No, I didn't. I'm still at ninety-nine."

"Oh, whatever, Rando!" Nanami, who obviously couldn't care less about the welfare of her student, hit Rando on the back, "It's alright, you'll get the next one! I think… Well, you got the Hate Fish, so that good!"

Suzaku looked at him, "You know a technique called 'Hate Fish"? Any respect I had for you is now lost, Human Hunter."

"Ditto." Hiroko nodded, "Well said."

Rando looked up at his teacher, "Miss Nanami… You said that for the past hundred years, for two hundred seventy-four I failed to get."

Akane looked at him, "Wait, what…? Two hundred seventy-four!? That's more than two times what you're succeeded at, sir!"

"I don't need you telling me that." Rando said firmly, "I know!"

Hiroko smiled, "Yes, well, now we all know you're a failure. I'm, personally, happy, but," She looked at Nanami, "what we came for is training for the Dark Tournament. We wanta cream Yusuke and I wanta go get my brother, then go get my sister, who's God-knows-where, and take my dead grandfather's money and go live in Germany."

Nanami smiled, "You want me to train you…? I can do that."

"Yeah," Hiroko looked at her nails, "Work those demons to the bone. I'm not training; I'm just going to be the team's forth… No, first member. Other demon can be the forth member. I'm just gonna be there, I'm not going to work for it. That requires… Uh, work."

Nanami smiled, "You remind me of myself."

"Nuh-Uhh, demon! I'm nothing like you! I'm Hiroko Tarukane! Do you know that!? You should…!" She whined.

Suzaku ignored Hiroko and turned to Rando, "This is gonna be fun."

"Yeah," Rando nodded, "It is."

"Well, well, well!" Suzaku smiled, "Something can actually be fun for you and not just 'kill Yusuke'?"

Rando sighed coldly, "I guess so…"

Akane tapped his shoulder, "Hey… Is this training… Rigorous?"

"Not really, just idiotic. That's the Brilliant Hunter's style ; not being... Brilliant."

"You're got yourself some good comebacks," Hiroko smiled at Nanami after she'd finished arguing, "for a demon… You're classy. I like you."

"For a human," She laughed back, "you're… Well, most humans I meet are physics for me to take their abilities, but you're different. I think you may be stunning."

Hiroko laughed, "Oh, I am, aren't I? You, my not enemy, have taste. How'd you end up with… Demon as your student. He's below you, y'know."

"It was a long time ago when I met him, actually," She said.

"Tell me," Hiroko smiled, "I want to know. Hopefully, I can find some juicy info to use against him later."

Nanami smiled, "Alright, but only you. And Suzaku, I guess… And that Akane person… Well, whatever. You want to know? I'll tell 'ya!"

Rando rolled his eyes. He'd heard this story more then once. In fact, every time he wouldn't do something for Nanami, he'd have to hear this story so he'd do whatever it was she was telling him to do, "Uh… Really, Rin? Do you need to know this…?"

"Uhh, no." She smiled, "But there's no gossip you_ need _to know, per say. It just a bunch you want, and will probably die if you don't, know it. That's how all gossip works, okay? I know. I was once a teenage girl, you know. One in high school? That's where all the bast gossip is learned. Granted, I had to sacrifice my all except my freshmen year to that mental facility those freaks looked me in, but one year's enough. Trust me."

Akane nodded, "Mm. That's how I got my wife. I just listened to all the gossip she had."

"Whatever," Suzaku smiled, "Let's just hear this, shall we? I don't know anything about gossip. I mean, for a majority of my life, I've only lived with the Saint Beasts, Byakko's weird dogs, Murugu, that floating eyeball thing, and a bunch of mindless cultivated humans."

"…And Ukazus." Akane finished.

"He's not… A real person!" He said irritably, "He's-- It's only a copy of me!"

"Ho ho!" Nanami laughed, "Well, let's all calm down now… I tell you."


	10. Hitomi's Children

A young red haired woman cut up some vegetables in a clean and beautiful kitchen. The pots were hung up in a row on the wall and the water was already to a boil. Rice, carrots, turnips and other odd foods lay scattered on the countertop as she made a salty soy sauce to go with the foreign meal.

She smiled as she looked at herself in the reflection of the cool water her corn was soaking in. Her long, red hair was tied in a ponytail so none would fall into the food and a stained, but still slightly white, apron covered her yellow dress. Her sleeves were pulled up as she prepared for the almost impossible task: feeding her son.

"Rando!" She called while cutting the food up, "Rando, don't make me call you again!"

After a few seconds, a small boy ran in from the door and sat on the stool. His short red hair shone in the light and his blue veins that all his race had were starting to, lightly, appear, "Mom? What do you need?"

"Rando, Sweetie, would you mind going to get me some ginger from the bag outside for dinner?"

"What's for dinner?" He asked as he leaned over the pot of boiling water.

"Oh!" His mother picked him up quickly and put him back on the ground, "Don't get to close, Sweetheart. You'll get burned."

"What is it?" Rando eagerly repeated.

She continued to chop up some vegetables, "Stir fry."

"I want human!" Rando pouted, "Vegetables are gross."

She looked at her son firmly, "Now, Rando. We've been over this. I decided to raise you hear in Hotomi because I want you to grow up happy. Please, try to understand. When you're older, you'll be happy I did this."

'When you're older, you'll be happy I did this.' That's all he ever heard. "Dad says this village is a disgrace!" Rando protested, "Dad says it's like a human town 'cause we don't eat human here and eat their food and there's no—"

His mother turned around, tears rolling down her cheeks, "That is quiet enough, Rando!" She quickly chopped the vegetables, slamming her knife into the cutting board, "Your father… He fills you're head with the stupidest ideas about how to live and what to eat and how to treat your own mother who only wants the best for you to live in a safe environment where you can play and grow and learn and not rip anyone's head off…!" She stuck her knife into the cutting board and sobbed into her hands.

Rando tugged on the side of her dress, "…Mommy? I didn't—"

"Rando, just…" She sniffed, "Just go play outside or something… I'll call you for dinner."

He slowly walked outside. He didn't see what he did wrong. He'd only of asked a simple question. Mom always got so touchy whenever he mentioned his father. He hadn't seen him in ages; it was only natural he was curious about this man 'Michi'. He knew he was a fighter known for his quick killings of humans. He married his mother, Tsukiko, and had him. Then he left. Gone forever from his only son's life.

A girl ran up to him, "Rando…" She said as she bent down to try to look into his wet eyes, "What's the matter?"

"… I don't know. Mom's really mad at me," He said softly, "I'm going to get her some ginger."

"For dinner?" She smiled, "That's nice! She'll be really happy with you, I know it!"

He looked up, "You think?"

"Uh-huh!" She laughed, "Now stop dawdling and go! Your mom'll get mad!"

"Mm," Rando nodded. He ran to the end of the road leading to his house and looked in the hand-woven basket. It was empty except for a few crumbs at the bottom, what seamed to be small carrots or peas that fell out of their pod. "… Maybe Akira hasn't come yet… Not odd, he's always so late…"

"Ahh!" Just as he had finished his sentence man carrying a large bag fell out of the tree next to him. His blue eyes didn't seem so surprised he failed at flying so much he got himself stuck in a tree. He gently pulled some leaves and twinges and what seemed to be a small animal out of his hair, picked up his oar, and sighed, "Oh, it's Rando. Just my luck." He reached into the large bag, "I know I'm late. Lay off, okay? Tough job. Anyway, kid, whatda' 'ya need this brick after— night?"

"Mom says ginger," He said softly.

Akira cursed under his breath, which Rando noticed he tended to do, "Ginger, ginger, ginger! What is it with you mom and ginger!? I'm not gonna have enough ginger left for the rest of the town!"

Rando smiled, "Then go talk to Mom. She'll tell you she needs it, ferry girl."

The man hit Rando over the head, "Ferry _man, _thank you very much. And when I get un-demoted, I'll get back to taking souls and not delivering food to you."

"So," He said impatiently, "are you going to give me the ginger or not?"

"…" He slowly started down the road to Rando's house, "Nah, I'll go tell her why I'm late. She gets mad if I don't."

Rando smiled, "And why are we late today? You're running out of excuses."  
"I have a real excuse this time!" He yelled back.

Tsukiko heard the yelling and ran outside, "Akira…" She clenched her teeth together, "You're

late. Hurry, hurry! Dinner's on hold…!"

"I'm sorry my wife had to go into labor…!" He yelled, "First she wanted me to be there, then it

got bloody, then she wanted me to leave… I hate women. You never know what they want from you… If this baby's a girl, I'll…"

"Oh!" Tsukiko gasped before a smile, "Oh, congratulations, Akira! Do you have a name picked

out yet for your little one?"

"… For a girl, which I'd hate… I like Akane or Ayame . Akane Ai has a better ring to it. If it's

a boy I think I'll call him Takehiko. Kinda a common name, I know, but still. I have hopes for this one."

"Takehiko?" Rando sighed, "What a weird name."

Tsukiko, who loved the innocent ignorance of her son, patted him on the head gently, "Not really. Takehiko means 'military boy'. It's often used for a poltergeist being because a lot of people want their children to be S.D.F.s. If they're not, it's hard for them to make a living because if you're not a ferry girl or a S.D.F. or something like that, there's not much work for you to do. Takehiko may sound foreign, but it's quiet common for a little boy to be named it in Spirit World. I think it's pretty. In fact, I nearly chose that name for you."

"Ick!" Rando squealed, "I like the name Rando a lot more!"

Tsukiko kissed his forehead, "I know you, sweetie, but you'd be saying that about Rando if you were named Takehiko," She sighed and looked up, "Unfortunately Ichiru thought it wasn't for a demon and it would hurt your self-confidence or something…"

Michi Ichiru. That was the full name of Rando's father, the one he never would know. "Mom… The ginger…" He said as gently pulled on her dress.

"Oh, yes!" She smiled at him, "Thank you, Rando. The ginger… Akira, by any chance do you have some spare ginger? I need some for the stir fry."

"What? Who puts ginger in stir fry?"

"A lot of people!"

"A lot of crazy people…"

"What did you say!? I'm perfectly sane, thank you very much…!"

Rando watched the two fight back and forth. He heard a lot of words he didn't know and made a mental note to use them later. He gave a smile and slipped through the trees to his beloved swing.

The swing was his home, his life. He always sat on it to think of how he would get out of this backwater town of Hitomi. Since he shared a bed with his mother, who sent him to bed early, this was the only place that was really his. Michi put it up for him a long time ago.

"Rando… Ran… do… R-A-N-D-O…" He spelled out in the dirt. He knew one day everyone would know his name. Hopefully it would be for something cool, but then it would upset his mother. Hopefully it wouldn't upset his mother, but then it wouldn't be for something cool. Rando really was in a tight spot here. His mother was too protective. She lived in this town where nothing ever happened, her only excuse being 'It's for your own good, sweetie.". Sure, Rando knew he'd appreciate it one day, but now, it was as boring as it gets.

Over on the other side of the trees, his mother had won, as she always did, triumphantly clenching the ginger in her hand as Akira cradled his head, unable to comprehend how that dame had managed to get the better of him again. They went through this everyday.

She waved at him through the trees, "C'mon over, Rando! Dinner's almost ready!"

"Coming!" He yelled back as he hopped off his swing. He snickered at Akira, who, not one to tolerate insolence, whacked him over the head with his oar. Tsukiko gave a perfectly justified slap to his cheek.

"Shesh… He disserved it, too." He gently rubbed his cheek after giving Rando a glare that sent him scampering into the house, "You need to in force more discipline one that one…"

"Rando may be a bit… Cocky, but," Tsukiko smiled at Akira, "I like it. I mean, it's not out of hand. He's not a human hunter or anything."

"He might be at this rate," Akira sighed.

"Oh, sush. You don't know anything."

Akira laughed, "Oh, yes, I do! My little one, Ken'ichi, is the biggest pain imaginable. My wife, Yuuna, thought discipline would 'spoil his gentle and serene mind'. I mean, this kid is driving me crazy…!" He through his arms down for effect, "He's rude, obnoxious, disrespectful—"

Tukiko put her finger to his lips and took his hand in hers, "That's what you can expect from him. He'll get better with age."

"I hope so. He's a prodigy; great at everything he's ever tried…! He's never had to work for anything in his entire life. Everything comes natural to him…" He looked up, "Maybe I don't want this boy as much as I once though. I'd settle for a sweet, little girl…"

Tsukiko looked up with great concern in her red eyes, "You aren't sorry you had him, are you?"

He paused, as if thinking, before shrugging with a sigh, "Nah… I just know it's going to be harder for this one. I want him or her or whatever to happy…"

Tsukiko slipped into her house, "I'm sure he or she or whatever will be." She smiled warmly, but that look quickly disappeared with a look of shear disapproval, "Now hurry up! Other families need ginger for their dinners…!" She slammed the door in his face so quickly, it nearly cut off his nose.

"Well, fine…!" He yelled, "Be that way! Take up time on _my _routes and then don't even invite me in for dinner, why don't you!?"

Tsukiko leaned out the window over her stove, "…And take up more of your precious time when you should be making deliveries? As if!" She flashed a quick smile, "Anyway, there's ginger on this stir-fry: and only crazy people put ginger on stir-fry!"

_"Fine!" _He yelled as he sat on his oar, "Fine and dandy, Tsukiko!" He quickly swung his bag over on shoulder and flew down the road and, to no one's surprise, got stuck in another tree. After picking all the leaves and twigs and what appeared to be a small animal out of his hair, he decided it just might be better to walk. Before swallowing his pride, he jerked around and yelled, "And I don't even like your cooking…!"

Rando smiled, "He should know. He eats here more often then I do."

"Don't insult Akira!" Tsukiko laughed, "He may be lazy and slightly self assuring, but he has a gentle heart. He's a good guy deep down."

"Yeah, maybe deep down in his stomach." Rando sighed, "I mean, you're so nice to him and the only time he's ever muttered a 'thanks' is when you feed him. He's such a moocher sometimes."

"Rando…" She said sternly as she gently cut up the ginger, "Be happy for what you have. I'm sure he has a tough life at home, being basically on parole with a baby on the way. He probably needs every penny to feed his family. I don't mind if he comes here once in a while to eat."

"It's more then once in while!" Rando protested, "It's every other day…!"

"That's just fine," She said as she put the stir fry on to plates and put them on the countertop, "Now, eat. No complaining."

Rando continuously stabbed the vegetables with his fork. The only time he dared swallow one was when his mother was watching. He discreetly pushed some on to his mother's plate when she wasn't looking and ate the long, green ones when she was. Rando didn't know what they were, but they tasted better than the others did by a long shot.

"Zoo… Kee… Nee…" He sounded out. It was the best one, so its name was sorta known to him.

Tsukiko smiled down upon what she considered the cutest thing in this or any world, "That's right, Rando," She leaned down and kissed his forehead, "Zucchini…" She didn't mean to kiss her son so much, she just did. Everything he did was beautiful and worthy of her praise, and she just wanted to kiss him every time she saw him. He was hers, and she was so happy to have him a son.

Of course, as such a young boy, Rando had nearly no understanding of her feelings towards him, "Mom…" He gently pushed her off.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie…" She wanted to apologize, but all she could think about was kissing him to make up for it.

"I wanta go outside," Rando said.

"Honey," Tsukiko looked down at him, "You promised you'd help me with the dishes and you haven't even eaten half of it."

"But, Mom," Rando complained, "I don't like it…"

She took his plate away and want to the sink to begin washing the dished, "Fine, but don't come to me when you're hungry. You gave up your chance, and I have for pity for that."

Rando smiled, "Okay." He knew she'd have pity for her poor, starving son; she always did. He knew his mother better then Tsukiko knew herself. He quietly ran outside.

It was getting dark and quiet. Near winter, it got dark early, meaning Rando needed to come in and go to bed earlier. The only noise they could hear was Miss Mayuso yelling at Akira, calling him more words he didn't know. Rando liked Miss Mayuso; she always had some human in her house that she shouldn't. Sometimes Rando would get some if he asked nicely. Tsukiko always warned that she was 'no good at all'. He bet Akira thought the same.

"Rando! I said you didn't have to eat the food! I didn't say you didn't have to do dishes, young man…!"

Drat. He'd been figured out, "…Coming, Mom."

After nearly forty-five minutes of cleaning dishes, that was his mom's job, Rando finished. It was already late and dark, and nearly all children in the sleepy little town of Hotomi were asleep. Tsukiko was always one to abide by unspoken rules, and quickly sent Rando to bed with a hug and a kiss and a 'I'll be there to read to you soon, sweetie.". She was always late, and Rando never had her read to him. He often read himself, yet he tended to struggle on large words. Because of that, reading never really was his thing.

After Tsukiko had re-washed the dishes, as Rando had only rinsed and untidily pilled then in the corner, she glanced at the calendar. Her face changed to a look of concern as she saw the small, red dot in the corner, right across from the date, "Oh, no…" She whispered as she ran into her room. Rando was already asleep in her bed. Good. Maybe if she talked to them, they wouldn't. Maybe today they'd let her off. Maybe today they'd have mercy.

The front door flew open with a tremendous force. That day was not today.


	11. Tsukiko's Dreams

A man with several huge bodyguards walked into the house, knocking over as many things as humanly possible, "Well, hello!" He smiled cheerfully, seemingly unaware of the damage he was causing, "What a surprise! It's my little Tsukiko, isn't it! How are you today, babe?"

"Kyou…" She said so softly, it was almost inaudible, "…Why?""

The man pushed back a pair of small, black glasses, "Yeah?" He said, choosing to ignore the last part, "You want me to be quiet, didn't you? To not wake up your little sleeping angle? Maybe it'd be better if I just took him of your hands."

She gasped and began to cry, "No!" She shouted, "No, you mustn't…!" She needed to wake him up now, tell him to escape. He's what mattered to her now, "Don't, I'm begging you…! He's all I have left!"

And, sure enough, Rando woke up, "…Mom…? Is she… Okay?" The young boy gently climbed out of the bed that was still too big for him as reached up to turn the knob.

"No, no…" He shook his head, "I would never do that… Well, not now, at least. You haven't… Repaid us for our losses."

Among the huge, demon bodyguards there was a young, small boy with pale lavender hair in a long, thick braid that touched the floor and deep red eyes, "Sir," He said in a deep voice that didn't seem to fit him at all, "We have no proof Michi did this to us--"

Without looking behind him, Kyou stuck out his hand, "Arata… It's all right. If you don't keep your mouth shut, I can't guarantee… _Her _safety."

He looked down quickly, "… Mereko…"

"You…" Tsukiko breathed softly, "You can't be serous… I haven't done anything wrong… And you recruited… Children for the Chinatsu Society?"

"Oh, how rude!" Kyou laughed, "We prefer something more classy like 'The Gentlemen's Alliance' or 'The Good Men's Society'."

Rando listened from behind the corner, "…"

"Please," Tsukiko asked softly, "Let me have more time."

"Erm…" Kyou rolled his head over to one side and looked at his team, "What 'da you think, boys?"

Only the youngest responded, "… Permission to speak, sir…?"

"Granted," Kyou sung, "Make it good, though."

"… I think we should…" Arata said softly.

"…" Kyou remained silent for a moment, intensely staring at Arata with an irritated look in his eyes, as if he'd picked the wrong answer. As Arata looked down and began to apologize, Kyou only shrugged and interrupted the young demon with a laugh, "Alrighty, then! You can have more time."

Tsukiko sighed. Kyou was so indecisive and evil without being cruel. His personality could change on a dime and he was as fleeting as his emotions. Today he's travel in the north, tomorrow in west, never staying in one place for too long. He was just like Michi, although that wasn't a big surprise. They were brothers, after all.

Rando peeked around the corner slowly. Kyou shot him a smile that sent him back running down the hallway, Tsukiko not even catching a glimpse of the young demon.

Kyou turned and walked out the door without one more word, his large bodyguards following. Just as Tsukiko let out a relived sigh, Arata ran up and grabbed her hands in his, "You must escape. Please, trust me…" He looked behind him and saw the other members leaving and Kyou staring at him with a smile, "Please…" He repeated softly as he ran to his master, who petted his head like he was some kind of dog.

"Good boy," Kyou smiled, "There, there… You're a good boy."

Tsukiko looked at him for a second before shutting the door and double locking it. To make sure she and her son were safe, she put a chair up against the door. She was about to draw the curtains when she realized that Kyou, who was no where do be seen, had breathed on the glass of her window and written something in it: 'two days', all the letters runny and backwards.

Tsukiko sighed and slowly went to her room. She knew that, one day, this was bound to happen. She climbed into bed, where Rando was sitting up, waiting for her.

"Mom…? Who was that?"

Tsukiko kissed his forehead, "… So I woke you up…? Was I talking too loud? I'm sorry, dear."

Rando shook his head, "I didn't hear you." He lied.

"Oh… Well, then," His mother asked, "how did you know I was talking to someone?"

Rando looked down, "Umm… Well, I-I…"

"Mm…" She rubbed Rando's head, much imitating Kyou with Arata earlier, "You needn't be afraid, Sweetie… It'll be alright."

That was a sign that Rando's life would never be the same again. He nodded and smiled and quickly fell asleep. The only thing that was odd, though, was ever since he was a baby, he remembered his mother falling asleep before him. Tonight, it was Rando who slipped into sleeping before his terrified mother, who, for the entire night, never did.

His mother was out of bed by the crack of dawn, already preparing breakfast. She had to give him eggs, which she despised, because, in actuality, Akira was supposed to come at nine o'clock. He rarely came at three in the afternoon. Eggs… How disgusting. If she had it her way, Rando would be a vegan. But, then again, he did love milk. Akira made it so the milk brought to him would never spoil, even though the gallon never lasted more then one day. It was the one helpful thing he could do.

Rando slowly crawled his was out of bed around ten and got himself dressed. He sluggishly moved his way oven to the counter and put his head down on it. He yawned and dozed off for a little while until his mother put a fresh plate of eggs in front of him and tapped his head, "Wake up, Rando…. It's morning…"

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Tsukiko, fearing the worst, stood frozen in fear. After a few seconds, the knock sounded again, this time significantly louder and the man behind it added, "Tsukiko, I know you're in there…! If you want food, then get out here…!"

She let out a sigh and opened the door to a quiet irritated Akira. His eyes were wet and tired, "Goodness, you're… Well, late but it's early for—Oh my! Are you crying…? What's the matter…? What happened!?"

Rando leaned over, "You're crying?" He snickered, "What a baby…"

"Rando, you leave this house right this instant!" She yelled.

"But I—"

"This instant, young man!" She pointed to the door sternly before gently looking at Akira, holding his hands in hers, "… Please, sit down… Tell me."

"Nothing's wrong…!" He shouted as he dug his hand into his pouch, tears running down his cheeks, "… Nothing's… Wrong…"

Rando slid behind his favorite spot, the hallway, out of sight, but to an extent he could still hear them.

"… Oh, no," Tsukiko looked down, trying to sense what happened, "It had something to do with the baby, didn't it…?"

"…" He sniffed.

"Did it… Akira, is it dead…?"

He shook his head and began to cry, "A thousand times worse…"

"But…" She asked softly, trying to understand, "But could be worse then…"

He mumbled something under his breath.

"Hmm…?"

Akira looked up and sobbed, "… Twins…"

"… Twins…? You mean, two babies?" She asked. She was confused. She would have loved for Rando to have a sibling, preferably a little sister. Why was this such a curse?

He sighed, "We can't afford two… Yeah… Twins…" He repeated softly, unable to understand, "A little boy and a little girl… We call them Takehiko and… Yunna liked the name Ayame for my daughter…"

"Well," She asked, "What are you going to do…? You can't just kill one."

"Untrue… That's exactly what Yunna wants me to do… We haven't even told Ken'ichi we're gonna kill his little brother."

"What a terrible woman…!" Tsukiko yelled, unable to hold back, "Akira, listen to me… Listen to me… You deserve better then a snake that wants to kill her own children! Why would she do that…? Why the boy…? Why…? At least… Why no consider… Putting him up for adoption…?"

Akira sat down, "That won't work…"

"And why not?"

"No one will take him…" He sighed, "He has horns…"

She raised an eyebrow, "Horns?"

"Yeah," He said softly, "Somewhere _way_ up in my family tree, we've got some demon blood in us… It hasn't shown for generations, and I thought it'd been bread out, but… Here it is again. They're tiny, and I don't think they'll grow much more, but… 'Hiko's got horns for ears."

"That doesn't matter…!"

"…Huh?" He said, confused, "It doesn't? It does to Yunna."

"You have no right to kill him…!" She looked down, "I'd sooner take him. Rando would be a lot more responsible if he had a little brother."

"It's sad, 'cause…" Akira smiled at her, "I absolutely adore Takehiko… He so smart, just like his other siblings… Not in the same way that they are, but he is."

She smiled, "What do you mean?"

"Ken'ichi walked before most babies crawled, talked before most babied babbled, and never, ever cried. It looks like Ayame's the same way… She's already trying to pull herself up at only a day! Takehiko's… Well, he's incredibly adept at noticing things. Most will cry if they're tired or hungry or board or whatever, but he only cries if he out of your arms… He needs so much attention, always wanting to be carried, to be kissed, and to be loved… I don't have much time for myself anymore…"

"Well, that's the way babies are," Tsukiko smiled, "even if yours sounds more affectionate then others…" She tiled her head to one side, "You're actually lucky… I wish Rando were more like that, even now… He gets mad if I try to kiss him…"

"Then you're lucky." He smiled, "I can't even get close to my Ken'ichi without getting insulted."

"Mm…" She nodded, "Perhaps he's just shy."

"I wish." He said as he leisurely waltzed out the door, now feeling significantly better with more ideas in mind.

Tsukiko smiled before the oh-too-common look of disappointment spread across her face. Akira saw it everyday, "Now get back to work, lazy!" She yelled as she slammed the door.

"H-Hey, wait! Hold on now, you!" He gasped, "Aren't you forgetting something?"

She opened the door and slapped his cheek, _"Now _get back to work…!"

"No!" He yelled as he grasped his stinging face, "I come here for a reason, y'know! Food? Am I ringing a bell here, Tsukiko!?"

"Oh, right!" She laughed, even though Akira didn't understand quiet what was so funny, "Sorry about that… Force of habit, you know."

He sighed, "I feel honored that whenever you think of me, you think of hitting me."

"Well, it's your fault for being born a man." She turned and began to go inside before laughing and smiling at him with a blush, "Oh, yeah… I forgot… About the food."

"Yes," He smiled, "you did."

"I won't be needing any." She began to close the door, "Good day, and…" She sighed and whispered under her, "Goodbye, Akira…"

He put his hand in the way, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on, now, Tsukiko…! Did you say… Goodbye?"

"Oh," She giggled innocently, "you heard that…?"

"Yeah! My ears aren't horns, y'know!" He stared at her intently, "So, you did say it then…? But, why would you—"

"…I'm moving." She said softly.

"Moving…!? What for!?" He yelled.

"…Well, I can't…" She started.

* * *

…And she never did finish. In the middle of Nanami's, and, technically, Tsukiko's, sentence, the front door burst open in a wave of dust and debris. Nanami gasped. No one, except for Rando, even though this _jerk _wouldn't let her get that far in the story, had ever found his way to her hidden manor. Whoever this was, he was above what she had ever fought before.

"Score!" The man yelled as the dust slowly settled. Only a blurry figure was visible, but they immediately knew who he was when they saw his not uncommon tip of what they could only imagine to be a white silk top hat, "Hello, demons," He said with a smile of disgust, "and hello, Milady. You're more stunning then the last time I saw you…"

"Hotaru…!" Hiroko yelled as she jumped into her brother's arms, "Oh, brother, how I've missed you…" She pressed her cheek against his chest and sighed, "You don't have any idea what I've been through… It's absolutely awful, Hotaru…"

"Oh, Milady…" He soothed, "Milady, Milady… I understand…" He kissed her cheek affectionately, "You we're so brave to go off with these… Unclassy demon…"

"T-That's… That's exactly what I said…!" She cried, "Ahh! You get me so well…! You're my favorite sibling… You can tell Junko if you want… She already knows I love you most of all… More then Dad, Grandfather, Junko… Even Mom."

"Mm… I feel the same way, Hiroko… I really do." He smiled, "I mean, Junko married that demon… I actually think his name was… Who cares, he was a demon. Lavender hair, big eyes… Unnaturally deep voice that didn't even pretend to fit his… Let's face it, flat-out _girly _face."

Now Nanami didn't know _who_ this man was, _how _he even managed to get into demon world in the first place, or _why _he broke down her front wall, only using a baton, no less, but she was go-with-the-flow kinda person, "Mm… Sounds like the guy in my vision."

Hotaru looked as if the thought of a demon talking to him was enough to make him vomit, "He's rude. All he does if read, get sick, get everyone's hopes up, and then get better anyways. All he's good for is keeping Junko out of our hair. He never even acts all that affectionate towards her…" He shrugged, "I'm not going to ignore my wife if I get married…"

"Hotaru…" His sister gasped, "You _promised _me you wouldn't get married…" The brunette sniffled, "You said we'd be together—Forever…! I'm holding to that!"

He dropped to one knee and stared up at her, "Oh, my darling Hiroko… Milady, I love you more then anyone else, more then anything else… Milady… I'll never leave you're side for anyone…"

"Good," She said dryly, "You should…"

Rando was tired of watching the two, and quickly voiced his mind, "…Hotaru, was it? And why have you come here to disturb our training? How did you even find this place…?"

"Training!? Aha! You call listening to you're life story training!?" He stared at him firmly, "Keep that up and you'll never make the 'A' rank… Like me…" He flipped a black lock behind his ear and laughed. "Anyways, I came here for several reasons, demon… Some more important then others." He stared at Hiroko and slightly blushed, "One was to see my ever-more-beautiful sister, one was to torment you and other demon over there and…" He paused and stared at Akane, "Hey, you! The blonde… Your name?"

"Umm…" He stammered, "Umm, ah… A-Akane…"

"Aha ha ha…!" He laughed, "Akane? You must be kidding me… Akane… That's a woman's name, but what is this… A man…?"

He blushed as he put his hands on his hips, "Yeah, well… So is Hotaru…!"

Hotaru whisked his baton out to his side, increasing it's length by two, "What was that…!?" He yelled irritably as he slammed it to the ground at Akane's feet, sending the poor demon flying through the wall, making yet another hole in Nanami's manor's wall and a dent, or, better said, a crater, in the expensive-looking tile, "That will teach you to say my name's feminine…!"

"Uh, Hotaru…" Hiroko smiled, "You're name is feminine, though."

"Yeah, but he doesn't have to say it," He whined.

She shrugged, "Hey, the ultrasound said it was two girls… Our names were picked before we were even born."

"Kind of a dumb philosophy to use if you ask me…" He sighed, "Even though I've come to love my name, I haven't come to love the teasing over it…"

"Some people are dumb and below you, Hotaru," She smiled warmly, "It'll do a Tarukane good to remember that early on in life."

"…Uh, I guess," He shrugged.

"Back to the point," Rando redirected sternly, "why and how are you here?"

"Well," Hotaru smiled, "back to my already stated answer, to see Milady," He blushed slightly, "…And, I suppose, my stomach…" He grabbed it as it began to growl, "I was wondering if Milady has any, uh, candy."

"…Candy?" Rando asked with a sigh, "You broke down two walls for candy?"

"No!" He shouted at him, "One for candy, one for revenge to that… Now-fainted ingrate."

"What makes him an ingrate?" Suzaku finally asked, afraid he'd get an answer.

"Not being thankful for me, I suppose," He smiled, "That is what an ingrate is, by the by…"

Suzaku sighed, "I know what an ingrate is… So what was he not being thankful for?"

"Well, imagine if I connected that blow to his head."

Suzaku raised an eyebrow, "Hm…?"

"I coulda killed him, easy," He smiled, "…Yes…"

"…Wait," Nanami said, "You call him an ingrate because he… Wasn't killed? Then… You attacked him for being ungrateful that when you attacked him, you could of… What?"

"Uh," Hiroko sighed, "No, he attacked him, which is a ugly was of putting it, for insulating his name, the ingrate part came—Oh, I don't have time to explain the more complex things in life to things that are below archaea…! Nothings below archaea…"

"Milady… Just because it's more complicated sounding doesn't mean it's right…" Hotaru whispered, "Don't forget… There's bacteria."

"I just wanted to imply they're dumb and single-celled…! I didn't need a science lesson!" She scolded, "Like they even know what archaea are!"

"Do you, Milady? Or have you just heard Junko talking about it…?"

"Inappropriate question!" She scolded again, "And do you even!?"

"…Well, Milady, actually… Yes, I do… I asked, uh, Junko… When I was seven."

Hiroko walked away, "Show off."

"Wait, wait, wait…! Erm… Hey…" Hotaru sighed as he walked form side to side, "Archea can survive in more harsh climates like… I don't know, volcanoes or… Salt lakes."

"Hmm… I believe I failed that test," Hiroko sighed, "but who really cares?"

Rando began to grow impatient with the sibling rivalry, "How did you get here?" He repeated sternly.

"Pushy, pushy…" Hotaru shook his head from side to side, "I got here by talking to a smug fellow with a blond bun and some prayer beads and a rather idiotic looking man with black hair to a bit below his shoulders with bright red bangs?"

Akane had regained his composer, smiling and happy as ever, he said, "Oh, you must mean my brother and my best friend…"

"Hmm… Figures." He shrugged, "Yes, I asked him and he took me here. Then I just followed you to the house and waited outside the door for a dramatic moment… Granted, I missed my dramatic entrance and had to go in at a random time, but," He paused and stared at Hiroko, "I got hungry… Do, per chance, have any, um, ribbon candy, Milady?"

She sighed and took a peppermint piece of candy out of her back, "Oh, fine, but, truly, Brother… You're addicted to this stuff. Lay off the candy, okay?"

He took it and smiled, "Never."

Nanami looked at him, "Wait… You mean to say you're a human."

Hiroko looked as if she was about to vomit, "Can you not tell!? I am offended! _I am offended Hotaru…! _Make her less stupid!"

"Yes, I am," Hotaru translated.

"But you say your sister—I'm assuming not her," She said looking at Hiroko out of the corner of her eye, "Married a demon… And they live in human world?"

"Mm." He nodded, "Kindo out of the way, but… Long lavender braid, red eyes, one hoop earring… Um…"

"Pointed ears," Hiroko said dryly, "and don't forget that weird turban cape thing and his Middle-Eastern accent that _never _used conjunctions."

"Oh, uh, yeah…"Hotaru said, "I mean, he's not ugly, but—"

"All demons are ugly," Corrected Hiroko.

"Well, yeah, but, I mean, for a demon, he's pretty good looking, it's just…" He paused and searched for the right words, "Doesn't look human, and we can't have the general public finding out about demons and she's Takukane… It just won't settle well."

Nanami tilted her head to one side, "This man… Arata Taichi… Did he happen to have an eye on his stomach?"

"As a matter of fact," Hotaru said with a hint of suspect in his voice, "he did. His last name Taichi, as well."

"…Taichi!?" Suzaku stammered, "Wait, a Tarukane married a Taichi!? That's… Uh…"

"The Taichis," Rando sighed, "are know for being brutal, having an ever-empty stomach for human, and the fact their middle son… I didn't know it's true but… He truly did swallow Chi, did he?"

"Chi?" Suzaku asked softly.

"Chi," Akane explained, "was… I don't know if you'd say god, but he had to be close. A evil beast that named the Chinatsu Society and… Even my family name, Chiyoko came from him."

"Why swallow a god?" Asked Suzaku bluntly, "And why make so many names after him?"

"Well, Chi is a cute name… I was considering naming Ayako 'Chika', but," Akane blushed for some reason, "Chika Chiyoko is kind of… repetitive. And I don't know about the other part. I heard some strange things about the Taichis…Three heirs, two males, one female. I hear this was the fist time they've kept a daughter in the mansion… Usually if they get a man, they won't keep any daughters."

"Sexists!" Nanami, Hiroko, and Umeko yelled in unison before exchanging awkward glances.

"I heard the oldest use some sort of spell… And now he's trapped in a book. The middle one, it seems, married Ms. Junko, and the Chinatsu Society kidnapped the youngest one…" Akane looked up, "And they've all got a super creepy haunted house, but its real… Or, at least, that's what I heard." He shook and moved slightly closer to his partners, "It gives me the creeps… Why marry a guy like that?"

Hotaru shrugged, "I don't know about that," He said with a shrug, "but I do know it's getting late… Um…" He blushed, slightly embarrassed, "I don't want to do braving the streets of Demon World at night… Who knows what kinds of hungry savage is just waiting out there for me… Liking his lips, rubbing his stomach… Ahh…! I hate all of you—Um… I mean, can I spend the night here?"

Nanami laughed, "Aren't we hungry savages, as well?"

"Yes, but you're hungry savages with a mansion… Like home. Most houses, if you could even call anything with less then fifteen rooms a house, here don't have beds! Beds, I say…!" He threw his hand down for emphasis, "Where do they sleep!? Ah… Human-eating… Er…" He shuttered and leaned against his sister, "It's like staying in a cannibal mansion… Ehrm… Milady, I don't like it here… I wanta go home…"

"Mm… Well, I wouldn't want you eaten now would I?" Nanami smiled, "Of course you stay, Mister… Forgive me we were never properly introduced… What is your name again?"

He bit his bottom lip, "Erm… Promise you won't eat me…?"

"My word."

"…Hotaru… Hotaru Tarukane, or, more correctly, Hotaru Katsou." He looked down, "But, erm… you may recognize me as… Nori."

Nanami remained silent for a moment before looking at him, "Uh… Surly, I'm mistaken, bet… Demon Hunter Nori? The man who can supposedly kill and demon that even touches his sister," She looked at Hiroko and gasped, "Rin!"

"Yes," He said quietly, "That is correct."

"How could I not see it!?" She yelled, upset with herself, "The way you down the wall to get to her, white top hat, the love of candy… Oh…"

"But I have no interest in fighting you," He said bluntly, "Miss Brilliant, I just need to be here to protect Milady."

"Hmm… But given the chance…" Nanami looked at him, "Would you spar with me?"

Hotaru paused before smiling, "Well, why not? I need to go to the Dark Tournament, too. Some demons brothers… I'm technically on their team, but some big guy with glasses told me, _me, _to go away. To blow off some steam, I beat up his brother and then, when he say how awesome I was, let me in. He said I couldn't train with him, though. Bah, why would I want to even be around him, anyways? I don't need to train; I'm Hotaru Katsou, Hotaru Tarukane… And I am Demon Hunter Nori!"

Hiroko sighed, "Why tell people that, though? It's like saying, 'Look at me, I'm a target! Why don't you come kill me?', right?"

"No demon could kill me, Milady," He smiled, quite sure of himself, "Remember? I'm Nori, and you're Rin…? Someday all will fear us? Remember that one battle we held hands and nearly topped A? That's what I'm talking about, Sister."

Rando's jaw dropped, "A!? Impossible!" He was only a C.

"Oh, It was awful…" Hiroko sighed, "Just awful. We were near dead until Hotaru grabbed my hand… I feat a sudden burst of power, and then… Whoosh! It was so fun afterwards, even if I couldn't stop shaking for days!"

Hotaru yawned, "I'd love top hear the end of the story, but… I really am quite tired…"

"But of coarse…" She smiled, "You're used to the lap of luxury…"

"We just need the biggest bed," Hiroko nodded, "We don't mind sleeping together. I'd prefer knowing he's by my side… Here."

"You can have my bed if you'll sleep in one a demon used," Nanami offered with a smile.

"Fine," Hiroko said, "so long as it's the biggest."

"It is," She said, "I share it with my daughter, but you can use it as long as you're here."

Hotaru bit his bottom lip, "Wait, wait, wait… Hold up. You don't even care Demon Hunter Nori is in this house with you, a demon?"

"We have Human Hunter Rando, so why not Demon Hunter Nori?" She smiled.

"Er…" He grunted, "You… You're underestimating me, aren't you?"

"What are you—"

"You don't even think I could beat you!" He yelled, "Well, fine! Then I'll leave if you all are going to shower me with undeserved pity…! I absolutely _hate _pity…!" He swung his cape around and headed towards where the door used to be.

"Fine," Rando said just as Hotaru was about to go outside, "Leave. Go out there with all the demon savaged and their licked lips and rubbed stomachs."

"Hey!" He stopped and turned around, "Um… You're just trying to scare me…!"

"Am I?" Rando shrugged, "You were the one who originally said it."

Hotaru ran inside and grabbed Hiroko by the arm, "Yes, you are!" He turned and walked up the stairs to Nanami's room, ignoring his bad habit of contradicting himself, "And don't think you've won…! I decided to stay here on my own free will! I just decided I'd rather not be with those demons with their mouths watering… A-and their stomachs… They're g-growling and… Uh!" He ran into the room with his sister and slammed the door, "I'd rather take my chances in a mansion…!"

Nanami watched the door close before falling to her knees, "Oh my… That man… Ah! I'm in love!"

"…What…?" Rando asked slowly, sure his misheard her.

"That Nori…" She swooned, "He's hot… No he breaks the scales… He's sexy."

Suzaku looked at Rando and whispered fiercely, "How old is Hotaru?"

"Must be early twenty's." Rando answered.

Suzaku looked worried, "…And if Nanami was also human, she'd be…?"

"Around fifty."

"…" Suzaku bit his bottom lip, "That makes her over twice his age."

"I suppose," Rando said, kind of sorry for Hotaru himself.

"Don't you lose you're ability to say 'sexy' after, I don't know…Human thirty?" Suzaku asked, dead serious.

"…For once, I agree with you and your idiotic idea... Even if it isn't, it should be an unspoken law." Rando said, surprised he'd just _agreed_ with Suzaku.

"Then you can't say it?"

"How old do you think I am?" He raised an eyebrow.

Their conversation was interrupted by a high-pitch, song-like voice, "Well, congratulations, Miss Nanami!" Akane smiled.

"Yes, Mother," Umeko finally said after her greatest fear, a demon hunter, left, "Congratulations, but… I'm older then him. Can you have a father younger then his daughter?"

"Well, you will," She smiled.

Suzaku rolled his eyes, "Hey… Did you miss the part when he said he'd never get married?"

"I'll chance that in a jif!" She sung, "Oh, Demon Hunter Nori…"

Suzaku tried to protest, but Rando put a hand over his chest and said softly, "Just let her live in her own fantasy for a while…"

"Hotaru doesn't even like her…!" He whispered fiercely, "I bet all he can think about is getting eaten when he looks at her!"

Rando paused before smiling, "I'm actually a tad… Sympathetic. Poor kid… It's funny, really."

"You really are cruel…" Suzaku said slowly, "I have to say, you… You must really hate him. Next time he's bothering you or insulating you or just generally just being related to Hiroko, threaten to eat him… If you're lucky, he may cry."

Even Rando had to smile, "Why would I?"

"Well, 'cause you're evil."

Nanami interrupted their conversation, "Well, shouldn't you all be getting to bed? You'll need full energy to train with me… And to beat… What was his name?"

"Yusuke," Rando said sternly, "my arch rival…"

"Well," She smiled, "since you're all so obsessed with killing Yusuke—"

"I'm not obsessed…!" Suzaku protested, "Yeah, maybe he is, but I realize there's more important things in life then killing Yusuke…!"

"That's been bothering me, "Rando said sternly, "You're so… Laid back about Yusuke. He killed you, so… Why don't you care!?" He yelled, suddenly very angry.

Suzaku returned the ferocity, "Because, unlike some people, I can get over things…!"

"Like you own death!?"

"Yes!" He yelled, "Exactly! Yes, he's stronger then me! I understand! Unlike you, I'm getting another chance at life! I'm not going to beat him, so I'm not going to get all worked up to go on some kind of adventure so I can die again!"

Rando gasped, "But, he—"

"I played with his world like my toy, and I paid! I paid the highest price—My life! I've got my life back, and… And I'd like to keep it his time…" He sighed, slightly saddened, "But I suppose you'd never understand… All you can think about is how many pieces to cut him up into…" He shrugged and turned to Nanami, "Now, Miss Brilliant… Where do I sleep?"

"Over there," She said softly as she pointed to a doorway.

"Thanks," He smiled as he walked that way.

Rando was dumbfounded. He stammered, but the words just wouldn't come. Was he right? No, he couldn't be! Yusuke was worth finding… Worth killing… And he could do it if no one else could! Human Hunter Rando would kill Yusuke Urameshi if it was the last thing he ever did…!

A door flew open as Suzaku's closed during Rando's mental motivational speech, "Fine, Hiroko…! I'll prove it! I'll go outside!" Yelled a shirtless Hotaru, angry as ever. Even when sleeping, he always had his signature white silk top hat, "But if I get messily devoured, it's on your head…!"

Nanami looked as if she was going to faint at the sight if her half-undressed crush "…Nori? What do you need? Oh, you're not going outside, are you!?"

Umeko froze up again, "Urp… D-Demon Hunter Nori, you're… Ah..."

"I am!" He yelled, "Hiroko says I won't do it, so I will…!"

"…Sibling rivalry, I suppose…" Umeko smiled gently.

Hiroko ran out in her nightgown, "Oh, I wasn't serious, Hotaru! When I said 'man up', I didn't really mean go out there…! And who gave you permission to call me Hiroko, anyways?"

"You never even told me to call you 'Milady'! I just do…!" He stormed over to the hole he previously created and took a deep breath.

"If you go out there, you'll end up in a demon's belly!"

Hotaru turned around melodramatically, "Don't say that, Hiroko!"

"Demon's belly, demon's belly, demon's belly!" She repeated sternly, knowing her brother better then he knew himself, "You're going to end up in a demon's belly!"

"Ermph..." He bit his bottom lip, "Hiroko… Erhm…" He shuttered as he repeated his greatest fear, "I-I'm going to b-be e-eaten… Banished to t-the b-bowels of a d-demon… Ah… No, Hotaru! Stay strong! You can do it… Breath, breath… You can't rub it in her face if you suffocate…"

Rando looked at him bluntly, "Do you truly think you can muster up the courage to go outside?"

"Yes!" He protested.

Rando shook his head, "I highly doubt so." He said as if only to start a fight.

"Look here, Demon!" He yelled, pushing his index finger into Rando's chest with every word, "I will do what ever I want to, so don't talk to me in such a disrespectful tone…!"

"Don't talk to me like that," He said sternly, "and don't hit me. Otherwise," He gave an uncharacteristically large and rather sinister-looking grin.

Hotaru gasped, not even letting him finish his sentence, "W-What…!?"

Rando raised an eyebrow, "I didn't even say anything…"

Hotaru slowly backed away, chewing on his black hair, "Maybe not, savage, but… You were thinking it, I just know it…!"

There were mixed expressions in the crowd. Umeko looked heartbroken, accually beliving every word Hotaru said. Nanami would usually be smiling, but Nori was her new life now. The look on his face made her happy, but it was her hopefully future husband that was terrified, even if made it up himself. Hiroko had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. She hated Rando and loved Hotaru, but, for some reason, this made her happy. Probably because he sassed off to her earlier. Akane only looked surprised. Not 'happy surprised' or 'sad surprised', just surprised. His conflicting personalities seemed to blur his expressions.

"Y-You… You can't be s-serious…" Hotaru cowered, "Ah…"

Rando was finished. He had to admit, it was fun. Even though he didn't do anything, at this point, he was just going to pretend he did. It'd be funnier that way, "I'm not."

Hotaru pointed at him,_ "Don't do that!" _He yelled in a mix of fear, anger, and embarrassment, "What kind of person does that!?"

Rando raised his hand without turning around, "An evil one," He said as he opened the door to his room.

Umeko sighed, "…What got into him? Rando's not often like that…"

"Men are always changing their minds," Nanami said as she moved closer to Hotaru, lowering her hands to his shoulders, "They're always so… Different. I bet you'd never change though, Mr. Nori…"

Hotaru froze up, "N-No… I r-really wouldn't… Umm…"

"Oh, am I scaring you?" She turned around and leaned down, getting so close their noses touched, "Mr. Nori, you shouldn't be angry with Rando… He just needs to threaten people once in a while… It's just his nature. If he goes too long with out a fight, he starts one, just to see his victim's face…" She turned around and smiled softly, "He's kinda a jerk when he gets bored."

"No doubt…" Hotaru sighed.

Akane remained silent as he slowly crept into the room nearest to him. He'd just sleep there tonight.

Hiroko smiled, "I've gained some respect for him," She said softly, "It was classy."

"Classy isn't the word!" Hotaru protested, "Evil, maybe. Classy, not even close."

Hiroko clapped her hands together, "Well, it was well executed, at least."

Hotaru sighed, "I _hate _you, Hiroko. _I hate you._"

"No, you really don't."

Hotaru cursed under his breath. She knew him better then he knew himself.

"Come to bed, now, Hotaru…" She said as she held hear stuffed bear close to her heart, "Hikari wants you to come to bed. I have yours, too."

"Hikaru?" He asked, "I thought I'd misplaced him… So, you had him after all?"

Nanami put her arm around Hotaru, only to have him hold his breath in fear, "Ah! You have a teddy bear? It's adorable, Nori! I love men who can be tough or sensitive…" She put a finger under his chin, forcing Hotaru to look up, "…Mr. Nori… There really isn't a reason to be afraid of anyone here…"

Hotaru didn't look too sure, "…"

"Umeko's really gentle, and she's terrified of demon hunters. She's just as afraid of you then you are of her."

The two exchanged glances, "…Really?"

"Really," Nanami answered for them, "and Rando… Well, he's really not a bad person. He'll be fine from now on… Trust me."

Hotaru looked down, "Why should I?"

"If he comes after you tonight," She touched his nose, "I'd knock him silly. And, trust me, he's done some stupid things. He's been knocked silly enough times to realize it's not fun."

Even Hiroko smiled, "Now that's what I'm talking about! Every man needs a girl to hold him in line."

Nanami winked at her before turning to Hotaru, "And that Saint Beast? He's no trouble. He really won't want to come out after the fight he and Rando had. You probably heard it."

Hiroko nodded, "They were obnoxiously loud."

"And Akane…?" Nanami laughed, "I swear, my Rando has to be the only person who hasn't figured it out yet!"

"…And Suzaku." Added Hiroko.

"Yeah, don't bother worrying," Nanami smiled, "He's not a demon, but I'm sure Demon Hunter Nori knew this. My story should of patched the pieces up. If you know his real name, it's quiet obvious, wouldn't you say?"

"I didn't even know his name and I thought It was obvious," Hotaru bragged, "I am smart."

"See?" She smiled at him warmly, "Nothing to worry about."

Hotaru looked down, almost nervous to ask, "What about you?"

"Me!?" She smiled, "But, Mr. Nori, without you, I wouldn't get to have the fight of my life. A chance to spar with a real, A-rate hunter!"

"I wouldn't say A…" He blushed, fully accepting his approval, "I'm merely a C or a D alone."

"I heard you once topped out at A," Nanami coaxed him to a red hue.

"One time!" He said, still blushing, "Only once… That's when Hiroko and I really messed up… A strong demon… We were near dead… I don't know how, but we made it, luckily."

Nanami smiled, "Well, 'cause you're good, Mr. Nori…" She slowly reached out and grabbed the tips of his fingers. A nervous gasp from them both pulled them apart, "Pardon me…!" She said quickly as she grabbed Umeko's arm and raced to her room.

"H-Hey, Miss Brilliant! Wait!" He called after her.

She opened the door to her room quickly, "You should go to bed. Rin's waiting for you," She shut the door once she and her daughter were inside. She sat on the bed and let out a sigh.

"Mother?" Umeko asked softly, "Did you get a vision from the future?"

"Mm," Nanami nodded.

Umeko sat down next to her, "I know you can't tell anyone but me about the future sights, so… I can guess. Does something… Bad happen to Mr. Nori?"

"I really don't know…" Nanami fell backwards and sighed again, "He and his sister are so close… Their thoughts and feelings even get mixed up. I know this much only—They will both suffer a fate worse then death."

"Worst then death?" Umeko asked, "Is that even possible?"

"They might not die," She responded softly, "The death of one will cause the other to feel the same pain… Maybe even worse because the dead one won't have to worry about the one still living… They may be tortured or get into a coma or… A great number of things…"

"Even in death, they'll still miss each other," She said, "That's… Really sad."

Nanami nodded, "Nori's greatest fear, obviously, is getting eaten by a demon. Now, if he is eaten, even if he's not digested, he'll always fell the pain as if he was. The second he actually is stomached, even if he's cut out only seconds later, he'll always be scarred and probably... I really don't want to think about it…"

"So you want Hiroko to die?" Umeko said dryly.

"No!" Her mother protested, "I mean, she might not necessarily die…!"

"You said it would be a fate worse then death…" Umeko looked at her mother coldly, "Mother,

you're wishing that she'll… Have some kind of tragedy!"

"…" Nanami remained silent. She couldn't deny it.

"What kind of terrible person," She asked, confused, "would want someone to be unhappy?"

Nanami stood up and spun around to look at her daughter, "Better that cold-blooded viper then my Nori! If one has to be punished, then make it Rin!"

"You can't serious about loving someone you met ten minutes ago!" Umeko protested loudly, "That's not love at all…!"

"How would you know, Umeko!?" Nanami began to tear up slightly, "You've never been in love! You don't know what it feels like…!"

"Rando is my love!" She whispered.

"You've know him for hundreds of years… And you've still kept up that silly little crush?" She laughed, "Pathetic!"

Umeko slammed her hand down, "I hope… I hope they both die…!" She turned around and walked to the door, "At least they won't miss each other then! Your visions have never been wrong nor blurry… It may be wrong! Only one may be affected! Maybe nothing will happen! Maybe they'll both die or worse, like your vision!"

Nanami stood up, "Get back here, Umeko! _Get back here…!"_

Umeko slammed the door shut. What kind of monster hoped for someone to die? Her mother, apparently. She understood it was for Hotaru, but she still wished one would die. Actually, although she'd never admit it, she hoped they both would die. Demon hunters were terrifying to her. She would have never guessed Demon Hunter Nori was just as afraid of her as she was of him. It was like what her mother always told her about spiders. Or bats. Or heights, even if it didn't make the least amount of sense. Umeko was afraid of a lot of stuff.

She sighed as she leaned against the pillar holding up the stairway. The door next to her opened and Suzaku slightly peered around the corner. He looked much different without his signature gaudy clothes, flashy gems and well-styled hair.

"Did I wake you?" She asked without looking at him.

He shook his head, "No, I'm just not very tired for some reason."

"Something bothering you?" She asked as she rolled her head to the side to look at him.

"No, not really," He said quickly.

"Ah…" She sighed, "But I can tell there's more to it then that."

"Aren't you clever…?" Suzaku let out a sigh and sat down next to her, "It's just… I haven't been here for a long time."

"So, you grew up in Hotomi?" She asked, "With Rando?"

He shook his head, "No, but not too far away from it. Aina…"

"The village of orphans?"

"Yeah," He rolled his head to the side, "But that was a long time ago."

"Will you tell me?" She asked softly.

"You want to know?" He asked, slightly confused a stranger wanted to know his life story.

She nodded, "Well, we both can't sleep… Let's talk the night away! And the first thing I want to know is your childhood! It's the most important thing to understand when forming a friendship."

"…" He remained silent for a second and stared at her, "Um… Sure, I suppose…" He found the entire conversation kind of odd, but he couldn't just blow her off. He cleared his throat, and began his story.

* * *

It was midnight in Human World: a time when most were asleep. But not the Katsou Manner. A man paced back and forth in front of a wall of windows, drumming his fingers on a large desk in front of him whenever he passed it. Soon, but too late for his pleasure, two demons entered the room: one large and muscular and the other small and petite.

"You needed us?" Asked the large one, overconfident as usual.

The one nearly half his size laughed, "We never get to see the face of our captor." She leaned over the desk and put a finger under the man's chin, "You're cuter and whimper then I expected…"

The tall, lean man pulled away from her. He ran his fingers through his black hair to straighten it and fixed his white and pink camellia corsage that he replaced everyday in the pocket of his jet-black suit. His narrow face was clearly flushing and his small, black eyes were filled with sorrow as he fingered his camellia.

"Now, now, Shun. He's obviously upset," He put a hand on her shoulder, bending her small, bat-like wings, "Let's hear him out."

Shun laughed, "And why? He _kidnapped _us, Takumi…!" She yelled, visibly getting upset, "What, with all this demon torturing and stuff… It makes me sick, y'know…"

Takumi turned around, now angry, "Don't blame this perfectly good man for that, Shun…! That was the Tarukane woman!"

The man bit his lip, "P-Please…" He begged, "H-Help me…"

Takumi leaned down and looked in his face, "Sorry if that offended you, Mr. Katsou. Your wife was a fine, pretty, young woman, but… I suppose death has no eyes. Mrs. Tsubaki was…" He sighed, out of words, "She was a nice woman in her own right, even if her father's… Ideas got to her a bit. Now, Mr. Katsou…"

He sighed, tears welling up, "…Mmm...?" He rubbed his eyes and hiccuped at even the sound of his wife's name.

"I know Mr. Tarukane doesn't like you." He turned around and sighed, "Maybe it's 'cause you stole his daughter, maybe it's 'cause you let his granddaughter marry a demon, maybe it's 'cause you actually are a decent person and freed any demons your wife took from him from the torturing…" He smiled at his partner, "Or maybe it's because you're half French, but, whatever the reason…"

"I'll talk," The man said softly.

Shun smiled, "Finally! Takumi was startin' to bore me to death!"

The man took a picture out of the drawer and set in on his desk as the demons gathered around. There were two small, cute children on it playing in the grass: one in a pink dress and one in a white silk top hat. They weren't more then six.

"Ah…?" Shun sighed, "That's Hiroko!" She looked behind her, "And speaking of her… Where is that little shrew, anyways?"

"Shun!" Takumi yelled before turned back to the picture, "Sorry 'bout her. Anyway… Aww! Those kids are adorable! Are they yours, Sir? They looks so much like you…"

The man slammed his hand over the picture and clenched his teeth, "Demons have kidnapped my children." Apollinaire Katsou said slowly, looking up at his new business partners, "I want you to do everything you can to bring the home."

Shun and Takumi smiled. This was about to get a whole lot more intresting.


	12. Suzaku's Vermillion Wings

"What time is it…? What is that screech…!"

"Jirou! I thought I told you to close the window before bed!"

"A thousand times, Murugu…"

"And you didn't!"

Jirou slowly got out of bed, cluching his ears, "Yeah, I know that, thanks…!" He quickly ran overto the window and slammed it shut, "Argh, what was that thing!"

The small, green bird flitted on to the bedpost, "An aosaginohi. Just be thankful it wasn't the baku."

Jirou threw his red tentacles back over his blond hair. He didn't want to even bother _asking _what it was, seeing how it was two in the morning, or at least around then. He crawled back into bed, completely jarred out of his sleep, despertly hoping he could get back into it.

"Jirou?" His chick asked, "Jirou, did you hear me?"

"Yes," He said, "I'm ignoring you…"

"What! The nerve...!" She screached.

Jirou rolled over on his side, "Come back at a more reasonable hour… I don't wanna learn at two in the morning..."

"Jerk…" She hopped over to the other side if the bed.

The young boy smiled as he gently picked her up. He cupped his hands around her and laid back down, "Muru… Go to sleep…"

"Jirou… Hey, you're never going to learn anything if you don't ask!" The bird protested, but Jirou had already fallen asleep. Losing her voice and her sleep, Murugu decided to join him, and soon herself fell asleep in her best friend's hands.

* * *

Morning always came too early. After a few peakings from Murugu, Jirou woke up at the ungodly hour of nine-thirty A.M.. He ignored his bird for the hour and a half it took the boy to look his absolute best, even if he wasn't going anywhere. He thrived off compliments like 'Oh, Jirou, you look so nice today!' or 'Jirou! Isn't he the best-dressed, best-looking, best living thing in miles around!'. Well, duh. He knew that, because he also, as everyone knew, was the smartest child in the town. Most people also knew he happened to be a tad arrogant, shallow, and controlling, which probably accounted for why he had such few friends.

As he left his house with Merugu on his shoulder, he looked for his two best (and only) friends. He quickly found them outside they're house, bored out of their minds, waiting for him to come.

"Oh, look! Jirou!" The girl yelled, "C'mere! I'm getting _so_ tiered of waiting…!"

"Hey!" The boy waved, "Jirou! Get over here!"

"Coming!" He yelled happily as he ran over to their nearly cabana-style house.

The girl smiled at him. For a girl so young, she was dressed rather… Sexily. Her light blue and white kimono was barely sown shut over her massive chest, and the rest flowed backwards like a cape. The only things covering her lower half was a tight blue bikini bottom and similar colored thigh-high boots. Her witch's hat had a large silver crown over it, her aqua, pig-tailed hair was bound with traditional red ties of an Ice Maiden, and her mother's birth tear was snuggly fit between her breasts. She had the body of someone twice as old as she was.

She was born an Ice Maiden, but never quiet fit in. She had a father, but since she was born a girl, no one knew but her mother and herself. Her mother, fearful people might figure out she was born with the help of a man, so she always kept her inside. Angry at her mother's decision, she defiled the traditional Ice Maiden clothes and dressed herself as the monster and witch everyone believed she was. After escaping the Ice Maidens, she lived with a demon family until the parents died, leaving her and her new brother to come to the village of orphans.

The boy next to her was that same brother. Ryuunosuke was a demon who could turn into a dragon at will, which he often did to threaten people. He looked pretty normal, except for his twisty horns and torn-looking black wings.

"Yo, Jirou," Ryuunosuke smiled, "how ya' been? It's nice to see you so... Early. You know it's eleven? That's a new recond for the amount of time it takes you to get ready."

"Fine, I guess," Jirou shrugged, igroning the last comment, "I was woken up by some weird… I dunno, you might call it... Screeching?"

Murugu nodded, "Yes… An aosaginohi. My mother used to tell me about them. They're nasty birds; they'll pluck out your eyes if you're not careful. But, at least it wasn't a baku."

Jirou frowned, "You said that before. What is a baku, anyhow?"

The girl gasped, "You mean to tell me you've never heard the elder ramt on and an about them?"

Jirou shrugged, "Well, I don't really listen to the elder at all, Satomi. Don't tell me you do."

Ryuunosuke smiled, "No one does, right?"

"Yeah, maybe, but…" Satomi frowned, "I've gotten a few lectures. It's a beast—a monster—who lives alone in the forest. Apparently, he's quite handsome!" She swayed from side to side humming, ignoring the knowing sighs of the two boys, "A-And, they say, anyone who hears his scream falls ill really fast! And no one, I mean _no one_ has ever seen him and lived!"

Ryuunosuke sighed, "Then how does anyone know he's handsome?"

Satomi gasped, "A-Ah…! W-Well, y-you see…"

Jirou couldn't help but laugh, "Aha! Well played, Ryuu!"

Satomi blushed, embarrassed, "H-Hey, are you making fun of me…!"

"Witch…!" Jirou chanted, having far to much fin at the expence of others, "Witch…! Haughty, flirty witch!"

"Ryuunosuke," Satomi growled, "did you hear that…! Did you hear him…! I _never _want to talk to you ever again…!"

"Sure I did, Sis," Ryuunosuke gave a smug smile. "Maybe I'll just have to turn into my true form and gobble him right up!"

"Ha!" Jirou laughed, fluffing his blond hair, "What a joke, Ryuu! I've known you for too long to fall for that…!"

Ryuunosuke frowned with a grown, "Argh, c'mon, Jirou…! You could at least pretend to get along… This form makes life so boring…! What's the fun if I can't pass out a few threats?"

"A few hallow threats," He smiled.

Ryuu grunted, "Tsk… Y'know, maybe we havta remedy that. Give a hallow threat, keep a friend, give a real threat, get a meal… Hmm… It's gettin' a lot more clear."

Jirou turned around and shrugged, "Ah, well… I had a good run. But I know you wouldn't," He smiled as he faced his friends again. "After all, my death would make all women in the world grieve," He said with his arrogant smile and a wink at Satomi.

"You're such a…" Ryuu sneered before cracking a smile, "A Jirou!" He yelled as he tackled his best friend to the ground with a laught, "That's the only word that even somes close to describing you...!"

"Gack!" Murugu gasped as she flitted from the two boys onto Satomi's shoulder, "S-Stay away from men, Satomi…" She advised, "They're nothing but trouble."

"I know that!" Satomi smiled, "I have a brother, y'know."

"Well, that's awkward," A man sighed.

Jirou looked backwards as Ryuu slowly lifted himself up from on top of his friend, "Oh," Jirou said, "hey, it's you… The ferry girl."

Akira Ai groaned, "Ah, Jirou… I see you're as annoying as ever. Now, I've gotta hurry, so where is your elder?"

"Why should I tell you?" Jirou asked as he stood up, brushing the dust from his pants.

Akira sighed, "Maybe because I'm carrying your dinner, kiddo?"

"Humph!" Jirou grunted, surprised he'd been bested, "Well, I don't need to eat, then, if I have to rely on you…!"

Akira sighed, "I don't know who's more annoying—you or Rando…"

"Me or who?"

Akira shrugged, "Nah, no one."

"Hump!" Jirou grunted again, "I hate it when people leave me out of a conversation!"

"I'm not leaving you out," Akira said with a twitchy smile. "In fact, I was kinda just talking to you, ya' annoying little twit."

Ryuunosuke had to step in now, "Look, mister, you really don't want talk to him like that…! You don't know who you're dealing with…!"

"What's he going to do…?" Akira asked, amused, as he leaned down with hands on his knees, "Cry?"

"Actually," Ryuu corrected, "He'll just throw a temper tantrum. A big one."

Jirou laughed, "You know me all too well, friends."

"I swear, if you do," Akira said sternly, "I'll whack you upside the head. These paddles aren't just for flying, ya'know. I have children, too, so I know how to knock some sense into any snot-nosed brat that needs it, Jirou, and—" He suddenly turned his attention to Satomi, with a stammar and a embarrsed blush, finally deciding to bring it up at the shooking sight of her, "Well, Satomi…" He said, "Frankly, your clothes are getting a little too tight."

Satomi frowned, "Well, why are you looking at my chest anyways, perv!"

Before the boys could even snap some witty comments out, Akira was already on it, "One: no one would tell you 'cause there are no women here. Two: your chest is huge and it kinda blocks out your face... Not that not seeing that face in bad." He added wryly, "And three: you're lookin' more skanky than my wife—and that's sayin' something!"

To everyone's surprise, the only thing Satomi had to say was, "Wait… Akira, you have a wife…?"

Akira frowned, "Um, yeah… Didn't you hear me say I had kids, like, thirty-four seconds ago? I swear, kids these days. Attention spans of gnats."

"Yeah," Satomi said, smiling, "but I didn't think you were married…!"

"Wait," Ryuunosuke said, confused, "can you have children and not be married?"

Satomi laughed, "Oh, so cute! That's why you're my little brother, Ryuu!"

Akira groaned, "H-Hey… You… Both look and know more than your age, Satomi."

"Ah…" Satomi smiled, pressing her hand against her chest, "You're too kind."

"It's not really a complement, Satomi," He smiled, "It's more of a comment on your self-thought 'flirtatious' appearance. You might think it's cute and flirty and whatnot, but it's not, and you end of looking like a—"

"A what Mr. Ai?"

Akira felt a shiver down his spine, "A-Ah…" He said as he turned around, rubbing his hands together, "T-The elder… H-Hi… I've just come to deliver some food, but these… _Children _held me from my job…"

The elder, a demon man who wasn't even close to being old enough to be considered an elder, scowled, "Mr. Ai, I suggest you stick to your job and stop threatening the children."

Akira shrugged with a frown, "If the kid wants ta' stave, let 'im starve."

The elder growled, unamused, "If I told King Enma you let a child in the allied Aina died, do…" He said with a cruel smile, "Do you know what he'd do to you?"

"Well," Akira smiled, "if he knew it was that kid, I'd probably get this punishment worked off and get to be a S.D.F. again. I'd probably get promoted."

Jirou had heard enough out of the arrogant fool's mouth. He ran up to his leg and bit him as hard as he could.

"_Ow…!"_ Akira yelled, "D-Did you… Did you just _bite_ me…! Will I need a rabies shot or something…! If I do, you're dead meat, kiddo!" He wacked Jirou over the head with his paddle and laughed maniacally.

"Quiet!" The elder yelled, "Quite, all of you…! Stop hitting him and stop biting him!"

Akira growled, "Again and again I tell you… I'm not doing anything wrong."

The elder shook his head, "I've got some choice words for you, Mr. Ai, that I don't want the children hearing. Come with me to my house where I can fully express my… Disapproval."

Akira shook his hands slowly, "Nah-Nah-No… That's… Really not necessary, sir… You see, me just hittin' him? Yeah, you just imagined that. Crazy, I know, but true-"

The elder grabbed Akira's arm and smiled threateningly, "No, no, Mr. Ai… I insist."

And Akira as dragged away, mouthing a 'you'll pay for this' at Jirou, who shrugged it off as a false promise.

Satomi grinned, "Well, _he_ sure is angry."

"Who?" Jirou smiled, "Elder Isamu or Akira?"

Satomi leaned her hand against her palm, "Hm… Well, the elder but..." She stopped, entering her fantasy world again, "It bothers me why we have to call him 'elder'… I mean he's too sexy to be called a elder."

Ryuunosuke sighed, "Good luck. After Miss Chie died, he's never looked at a woman… His survivor's grief is too great."

Satomi smiled, "Ah, you remember Miss Chie? She died when you boys were so young… Hey, Jirou, do you remember Chie?"

But Jirou wasn't listening. He continued looking into the forest with a longing look in his eyes, "Aosaginohi… Baku…" He whispered.

Murugu sighed, "Oh, no, Jirou… You aren't seriously considering going are you…?"

"Going?" Jirou asked innocently, "Where would I possibly ever think of going…?"

Murugu grunted, "You know dang well where! And I'm not letting you go…! I Won't let you go alone and get yourself killed…!"

Jirou shrugged as he walked towards the forest, ignoring his friends completely, "Well, if you want, Murugu, you can come with me and call for help if this so-called aosaginohi baku really is stronger than me."

Murugu flitted down and land on his shoulder, "J-Jirou…? How do you expect that you're gonna even get to it…?"

Jirou smiled, "Easy!" He said, "I'll just waltz on in, like I always do…"

"But," The tiny bird protested, "Elder Isamu has it completely gated…! If we open it, well surely get caught…!" Murugu looked around nervously as she noticed Jirou wasn't losing any speed and the gate was in sight, "H-Hey… Are you listining?"

Jirou stopped in front of it, "Don't worry, Murugu… This'll be fine. Elder is too busy chewing out Akira and it's not even locked. So… You in? You can still back out."

Murugu stammered an answer but the footsteps of the confused following Satomi and Ryuunosuke were louder.

"Better hurry up, Muru. We gotta hurry, so spit it out!"

In a burst of passion, Murugu spoke up, "I'd follow you to the ends of the earth, Jirou! Know that...!"

"Atta' girl!" Jirou smiled as he ruffled her feathers. He took a deep breath as he slowly tried to open the gate into the forest, after a short while, it opened with a creek. With his cheeky smile, Jirou ran in. He wasted no time closing the door with a large slam to prevent followers.

"J-Jirou…!" Satomi yelled, watching, "Hey, where are ya' goin'…!"

Hearing the door, the elder ran out of his shrine-like house, "What was… Damn it, Jirou…! I knew I should have said something…!"

Catching his hear of it, Akira came out as well, "D-Do you want me to go after him or something…?"

Isamu looked grim, "No point…" He said, "He'll be dead soon enough…"

Akira gasped, "W-What…! T-That's… Just heartless!"

Isumu nodded, "That's true, but… What are we supposed to do…? If I died, who would watch the children? If you died, who would feed them…? Besides," He added softly, "I promised Miss Chie that I would never let anyone enter that forest after she went in there… D-Do you remember…? That beast maimed her… I'd rather lose a stupid child and set an example than loose two trying to rescue him… Jirou… This is his final day."

"I don't care what the hell you promised Chie!" Akira yelled, "I have to save that boy…!"

Just as he was about to run to help him, a hand grabbed the back of his uniform, "Don't you dare go, Ai! If you do, I'll rip your—"

And as the panic settled in, a smiled slowly spread over Jirou's face, "Now…" He said, "Let's truly have a test of strength, baku!" And with what everyone presumed his final words, Jirou, later known as the second Suzaku, ran into the forest.


	13. Despair

After walking several miles, Jirou reached a clearing. He searched back and forth for his target, but didn't see anyone. Just as he was about to get annoyed, soemone spoke up. He had to have jumped several feet in the air when the sudden voice spoke up behind him.

"Young man," The rich voice said, "this is _our_ forest… Why are _you_ here?"

Jirou turned around and tries desperately to hide his embarrassment after being snuck up on, "A-Ah…! Humph!" The boy stuck his nose into the air, causing a small, knowing chuckle from the man, "I-I'm looking for s-someon—something…! An aosaginohi baku."

"Ahh…" The man said, chuckling slowly yet again, "Lemme guess, then… You here to slay it?"

Jirou nodded sternly, "Yup."

He stood up, brushed some dirt of his robe and smiled. This was the first time he was really visible and out of his brush hideout. His long, blond hair fell several feet down his back and his white robe was tied loosely the show off his chest. He looked only to be around his mid-twenties, but he was defiantly much older than that.

"Why?" The man asked, shrugging, "It's not to convincing to kill without a motive."

Jirou scowled, "W-Well… I just want to kill it! I don't need a motive! It's a monster and I want it dead…!"

The man turned and faced him sternly, "Don't get so cocky, boy. If you get on my nerves, you'll regret it."

Murugu leaned down and whispered into Jirou's ear, "H-Hey… Lay off. He's really mad…"

Jirou was not about to do that, however. He boldly stood up and swallowed before speaking up, "I-I will kill it…!"

Suddenly, a deer brushed past Jirou, causing the frightened boy to gasp and jump again. The deer walked up to the man, who leaned down and scratched under its chin. For some reason, he wasn't smiling to see it, but he spoke up, "Ah… Isn't he annoying, Kaede?" He said, stroking the deer.

Jirou clenched his teeth together, "You…! That's why I hate monsters like you…!"

Again, he looked at Jirou intensely. Kaede quickly ran away as the man sternly said, "I've already told you; you don't want to anger me with such comments."

Jirou grunted, poorly trying to hide the fact he was shaking like a leaf, "Don't you try to intimidate me."

And then, the man pounced. Suddenly, he grew furry ears and pointed teeth suited to tear right into Jirou. Jirou quickly threw up his shoulder, causing Murugu to fly up into the trees in shock. He whipped out his concealed knife, but it was too late. In a blink of an eye, the aosaginohi baku was on top of him, and Jirou was pinned to the ground.

"N-No…" Jirou gasped, winded, as tears fromed in the corners of his eyes. He needed to hold himself together for at least his pride's sake, but he really couldn't. His tears overflowed.

But, to his surprise, the soothing voice of the baku calmed him, "Oh, is that all, child? Don't be afraid; unlike you, I don't kill without a motive, and, frankly, you aren't a theat. Come back when you're big and strong like me, thought, and then we'll have some fun."

And with that ringing in his ears, Jirou passed out.

* * *

As Jirou woke up in the elder's house, the rant had already begun. He could barely listen to Isamu, however, as the only thing in his mind was the aosaginohi baku. The man didn't look like a monster; in fact, he looked rather handsome and, frankly, well-educated.

The elder continued on, "And… How could you not see the locks…!"

"I saw the locks, Elder Isamu," Jirou said with a sigh.

"Then how could you just igore them…!"

"If they were locked, then I couldn't have ignored them, now could I? I would have had to _do _something, wouldn't I?"

Isamu ran his fingers through his dark blue hair, "You know what you are, Jirou? A smarkalec, that's what."

Jirou had heard that many times. It really didn't have any effect on him anymore except his usual, annoyed grunt.

Isamu shook his head, "After Miss Chie…"

And with that, Jirou finally said what was bothering him, "W-Well… I've heard you say that she was killed by the aosaginohi baku… But he didn't kill me… Are the rumors… Wrong?"

Isamu clenched his teeth, "No. Impossible… Y-You don't understand, Jirou. If you were old enough to remember her… T-Then you would doubt t-that you meet an… An aosaginohi baku… B-Because… Damn it, Jirou…! Don't you dare protect that monster and what he did!"

Jirou stammerd, "B-But… I d-didn't I-I mean, I didn't want to… I-I… I mean…"

Isamu sighed, "There's no way what happened to Miss Chie… Could have been… Not done by the baku."

In a burst of passion (and sudden stupidity), Jirou stood up, ignoring his injuries, "Let me go and ask…!"

"Ask?" Isamu said, confused, "About what…?"

"About Miss Chie," He explained, "from her 'killer' himself."

"Absolutely not," Isamu said blandly. "I promised Miss Chie that I wouldn't let anyone enter that forest ever again… After she went in after some stupid child who went in himself… And came out maimed beyond all ability to tell it was her but her bloody ribbon… M-Miss… C-C-Chie…"

"So that's what happened…" Jirou nodded, unfazed.

"Yes," Elder Isamu nodded, showing a rare moment of vulnerability, "She was a human, but as long as she never left the village, I could keep her safe… A-And I promised I w-would, but… I couldn't keep my promise to her… To Miss Chie…"

"Well," Jirou smiled, in his normal, stuck-up way, "haven't you already failed at that?"

Elder Isamu shook his head, "Dammit, Jirou… You're too perspective."

"You don't need to be that perspective to see through such a paper-thin cover-up."

"Err…" Isamu grunted, "Y-You do have a point, but—" He shook his head in a nervous fashion, "I-I'm not sure I want you to go in there again…"

"He didn't kill me," Jirou repeated blandly. _"The rumors are wrong."_

And with that, the elder sunk into his chair with a sad moan, "…Chie…" He said, "Forgive me."

Jirou gave a wide, childish grin, "S-So I can go again…!"

"…Yes," Isamu said, "But be careful… If I lose you, too… I-I—"

"Don't worry 'bout it!" Jirou chimed, "I'll be fine…! And he told me to come back, so I can't let the aosaginohi baku down, now can I?"

"He _told _you to come back…?"

"Yup," Jurou nodded, "He said something like 'Come back when you're big and strong like me'. The nerve, am I right! I'm big…! I'm strong…!"

Isamu frowned, "Wait… So why'd he attack you?"

"Dunno," Jirou lied.

Isamu gave a smug smile, "Jirou, you are lying through your teeth."

"Maybe," Murugu said, who had just flitted onto the windowsill, "it had something to do with you calling him a monster?"

Jirou's face lit up, "Muru…! You're okay!"

The chick shrugged, "You didn't seem too worried about me a second ago…"

"Just 'cause I couldn't bear to hear you died or something!" Jirou said, running over and scooping her up into his arms, gently ruffling her feathers and obviously pleased.

Murugu looked down to hide her blushing, her hair covering her eyes, "O-Oh… J-Jirou…"

And then, for some reason, Isamu said, "Remember, Jirou… If you die, you'll lose everything you cherish… And _she_ will lose you."

Still holding Murugu, Jirou looked up, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Someday, child, you will. I guarantee it."

* * *

The second time Jirou and Murugu went into the forest, the baku acted unpleased but his smile said otherwise.

"Have you come back, child?" The baku laughed, "Why don't you understand…?"

Jirou smiled, "Well, hey… I've already said I've come to slay you. And I'm a man of my word…!" He said, placing a hand on his chest.

"Hey, Kiddo—"

"_Jirou," _He corrected sternly.

The aosaginohi baku smiled and laughed again, "Tell me, _Jirou…_ Why do you want to get stronger?"

Jirou raised an eyebrow, "Huh?"

"Lost again?" The aosaginohi baku smiled wryly.

"N-N-No…!" Jirou yelled, "I-It's only natural that I want to get stronger, that's it…!"

"'Only natural', huh?" The baku shrugged, "Well... Maybe it's just because I'm a 'monster', but I just don't get it."

Jirou sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "Look, I know that... Uh, probably hurt, and I'm... W-Well, kinda..."

Sencing Jirou's nervousness, the aosaginohi baku continued on, "You won't be able to surpass what your species' limit's so… Why bother?"

"What was that!" Jirou clenched his teeth together, furious and completly frogetting what he was just saying.

Again, the aosaginohi baku laughed, "Oh, nothing, Jirou… Nothing whatsoever."

Jirou was about ready to punch him when he remembered what Isamu told him. "Hey," He said softly, "I have a question."

Suddenly sensing something, the aosaginohi baku suddenly became serious. He looked at his intensely, highly nervous, but not letting even the tiniest bit show, "Hmm? Yes, what is it, Jirou?"

"Do you know a woman named Chie?"

Suddenly, his ears perked up, "C-Chie…?" He said, stammering as if Jirou had found a hole in his seeming impenetrable armor hiding his emotions, "That name sounds vaguely familiar, but—"

"But?"

"No dice," The aosaginohi baku shrugged.

"What's _that _supposed to mean," Jirou frowned.

"I can't recall. Maybe…" He said, "Naw, never mind, it's nothing."

Jirou looked down, disappointed, "O-Oh… So you didn't know her…?"

"I don't think so…" The smiled, "And yet… And yet…!"

Jirou grunted, "Stop taunting me and tell me straight out."

"Hey, I told you," The aosaginohi baku said firmly, "I do not know a Chie."

Jirou nodded, "Okay, then, alright… I believe you."

The aosaginohi baku smiled, relieved, "Good."

"But," Murugu said softly, "do you think that Elder Isamu would just lie to us like that?"

"No," Jirou shook his head, "but I think he might be mistaken."

"Mistaken…?" Murugu repeated softly, "You really think so?"

"I know that the aosaginohi baku isn't lying."

"Alright," Murugu said softly, "t-then. I believe you, Jirou."

"Thanks, Muru…" Jirou said as he ran his fingers though her hair, causing her to blush beet red, "I knew you'd stick by me."

The baku spoke up with an arrogant tone, "Anyway, is that _all _you wanted to say?"

"Naw," Jioru smiled, "I wanta fight, too."

"Why does that not surprise me…?" The aosaginohi baku laughed, "Well, you want one, I'll not hold you back, but you're gonna get a beating."

"That's just how I like it," Jirou said.

"Alright then," The aosaginohi baku turned around, furry ears now showing, "let's dance, child!"

Jirou again lost, but this didn't stop him. With the elder's wary permission, he can back most days over the years, but never managed to win and always got a beating. After three years, he fought bravely (and rashly), earning the aosaginohi baku's respects and slowly growing apart from his old friends. Eventually, he decided.

Jirou, now three years older, his in the bushes as he always did. The aosaginohi baku was below, under a waterfall, relaxing. He slowly crept closer, hiding until the perfect minute. When that minute only moments later, came, Jirou jumped of the cliff. The aosaginohi baku's ears perked up and he suddenly grew large, feathery wings, and swiftly moved to the side. Jirou came down crashing into the water, barely able to pull his head up for air.

"Flying's for cowards…!" Jirou gasped, managing to criticize even before trying to get enough air.

"The same can be said for someone who attacks from behind!" The aosaginohi baku laughed as he landed in the water, which only came up to his chest.

Jirou was about to say something until a large wave caused by the baku's landing crached over his head and sucked him back down under the water.

"Need a hand, Jirou?" The aosaginohi baku smiled reached out to grab him.

Jirou shook his head violently as he breached the surface, "No!" He yelled before breaking out into a coughing fit, "I-I _don't _need any help fr-from you…!"

"I just can't help teasing you!" The baku laughed. He slowly moved towards Jirou despite his protests and easily lifted the nearly drowning boy from the water. He hoisted him up on his back and moved over to the shore. He gently set him down on the bank and knelled beside him, gently pressing on his chest, trying to get any water that might have seeped into lungs out.

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Jirou protested, sitting up with a cought and a frown.

"Just making sure, Jirou," The aosaginohi baku said with a warm smile.

"O-Oh…" Jirou said, pressing his knees against his chest, "Well, uh, thanks, I guess…" Suddenly, he stopped short.

Murugu even gasped, "J-Jirou, did you just…!"

_W-What did I j-just…! _Jirou thought with a gasp, _Did I just… Thank him!_

The aosaginohi baku gave a fake, melodramatic gasp and a smile, "Who are you, pleasant young man, and what have you done with Jirou?"

Jirou frowned again, "Oh, shut up."

"That's the Jirou I know," The aosaginohi baku smiled his cocky smile yet again before whispering with a frown, "I'll miss you seeing you… But it's the fate of a cursed being like myself."

"Eh?" Jirou said, head tipped to one side, "What did you say?"

"Huh?" The aosaginohi baku said, flustered, "N-Nothin'. Nothing at all…"

"No," Jirou said, suddenly serious, "No, you said you'd miss me…! What's that supposed to mean?"

"I didn't say that…" The baku lied, nervously rubbing his the back of his neck.

"Yes, yes, you did…!" Jirou protested to little avail.

Murugu nodded, "Don't lie to him!" She yelled, "Jirou's the _king _of lying, so he'll catch absolutely _everything _you say if it's a lie…!"

The aosaginohi baku sighed, "I guess you were bound to figure out sooner or later… I'm destined to be the Suzaku."

"The… Suzaku…?" Jirou asked, confused.

The aosaginohi baku stood up and walked away from him, "Yes… The Vermillion Bird of the South… Someday, and I don't know when or if that day will come, I will have to join forces with the other three Saint Beasts and be banished from this world forever."

Jirou swallowed, "The other beasts…?"

"Somewhere here, somewhere in Demon World… There are three with my same curse: One cursed as the Genbu, one cursed as the Byakko, and one cursed as the Seiryu…" The aosaginohi baku turned to him, "And you… I'll never see again you once that merging happens…"

"No!" Jirou yelled passionately, "Y-You can't leave me alone!"

"W-Whoa…" The aosaginohi baku said, surprised, "I really didn't think you'd respond like that… But it really can't be helped. It's, y'know, destiny."

Jirou looked down, "B-But… I don't wanta be alone… I'm always alone…!"

The aosaginohi baku looked at him with a smile, "Hey, hey, now. Chin up, buddy! Don't get so down; you're making me all depressed. Anyhow, when did you get so buddy-buddy with me? Didn't you want to, how did you put it? Slay me or something? Whatever, point is, didn't you want to kill me really recently?"

Jirou shouted, angry, "That was _three years ago…!" _

The aosaginohi baku smiled sadly, "Has it been that long?"

Jirou nodded, "Yes, that's right…"

"Well," The baku said as he ruffled Jirou's hair, "it has been a while, then."

Jirou sniffed, "I don't want you to leave."

"I'm not sure I'll have to right now… Just—" He walked away sadly, "Oh, wait. King of Lies, right. Then there's no need in lyin', then. Yeah, it's… Today. I'm not sure I'm happy you came here or not… I thougth I might tell you guys. You deserve two know."

"No…" Jirou said, wide eyed, "No, no, no…!"

"Pretty soon, too," The aosaginohi baku said softly, "So… Nah, I'm happy I got to see you again. In fact, I don't know myself when I switched to being friends with you… But I'm happy I did, Jirou."

"B-But…" Jirou protested.

Before he could continue, a strong gust of wind blew through the forest. The baku quickly transformed and grabbed Jirou as he fell to the ground. When he got up, his ears slowly turned to normal as he approached the thing that caused it: a portal. The spinning, black circle seemed to gently suck anything close to it in. It, although pretty, seemed to menacingly hover before Jirou.

"What the… What's that…?" Jirou said, fearing the answer he expected.

"My ticket out of this forest…" The aosaginohi baku said, "But I didn't think that it would come so soon… I was hoping you wouldn't be here…"

"W-Wait…!" Jirou yelled, "W-Why can't you just ignore it!

"Uh, 'cause it's just a big ol' hole in the air?" The aosaginohi baku frowned, "Jirou, you can't fight destiny. You can pretty much fight any other damn thing you want, but not destiny. That's just not how it works, buddy."

"I'll fight whatever I want to fight!" Jirou yelled, "And no one, and I mean _no one _is ever gonna stop me…!"

"You're still as… Jirou-y as you were two years ago." The aosaginohi baku smiled, "The exact same…" Suddenly, he turned rather sad. He looked back at Jirou and sighed, "Too bad I couldn't of taught you… You… Could have gotten stronger, faster… But… At least you have gotten smarter. I'm happy I can say I helped."

Jirou bit his bottom lip, "Aosaginohi baku…"

"Kohryu," He said.

"Wha-?"

"My name." The aosaginohi baku smiled, "It's Kohryu. I figured I'd tell you someday, but you didn't ask. Maybe it's 'cause you were to obsessed with killing me to care."

Jirou stopped, "H-Hey… You're right. I kinda thought… That you didn't have one or somethin'."

Kohryu smiled, "I figured as much. I just thought you deserved to know."

"Kohryu…" He said softly, "Do you have to go…?"

Kohryu nodded, "Yes, unless—"

"Unless!" Jirou yelled, shocked and excited, "What do ya' mean, 'unless'! Is there some other way—something we can do…!"

"Calm down," The aosaginohi baku smiled, "Nah, not really."

Jirou sniffed, "S-So… You lied?"

"Well, no exactly…" He said, "Can't you feel it sucking us in stronger now? It's annoyed. It doesn't understand why no one's hoppin' in to meet the other Saint Beasts. It needs _someone _to come in, weather that person is the Suzaku… Or not."

"Huh?" Jirou said, totally lost.

Kohryu shrugged and smiled, "Lost again? I'm just sayin' that the person who goes in there doesn't _have _to be the Suzaku. I mean, c'mon, it's an inter-dimensional hole or something. I really don't think it cares what goes into it as long as it's a person."

"What are you getting at?" Jirou asked, concerned.

"Hey, Jirou…?" Kohryu said with a small, wry smile, "How would you like to get big and strong… Like me?"

Jirou fell back, "Y-You don't mean… That you want _me _to go in your place! That's just being lazy!"

"Yeah," Kohryu shrugged, "kinda is. But you won't get any stronger in this back-water village. You should go be a Saint Beast. You'd be the leader—the ruler—of wherever you set up your little Saint Beast camp or jamboree whatever they call it. Haven't you always wanted to be a leader? The king?"

"The king…" Jirou whispered.

"Mmph," Kohryu grunted with a nod. "And everyone will have to listen to you. They can't ignore you, they can't escape… You'd be strong enough to blow away any pathetic competition. Isn't that what you always wanted?"

"I'm not sure," Jirou said softly. Then, as if asking for permission, he looked up, "Is it?"

Kohryu leaned down and put his hands on Jirou's shoulders, "It is." He whispered, "It's what you always wanted… To be strong and feared."

Jirou grunted, "You just don't want to go yourself, right?"

"Well, duh!" Kohryu laughed, "But _you _do! I am the last aosaginohi baku in the world… I must stay here and protect my forest."

Jirou looked at him and whispered, "The last... You must have been... So loney... Just like me..."

Murugu interupted, "Does that even make any sense? Making him the next Suzaku? B-But, why would you…? What will you tell our family? What will they think?"

"Oh, urr, that's right, I suppose…" Kohryu tipped his head to one side, concerned, "Yeah, that's right… Um… Wolves?"

Jirou's jaw dropped, "Wolves…? Are you friggin' serious! You're gonna tell everyone _wolves_ got me…!"

Kohryu sighed, "Any better ideas?"

Jirou fell silent, "N-no…"

Murugu finally spoke up again, this time to ask the question that had been on her mind the entire time, "Would I be able to come, too?"

Kohryu laughed, "But of course! The more the merrier! Whoever made up that saying about cooks and broth was a loon anyways!" Kohryu continued to laugh manically until the other two started exchanging confused glances. He then coughed suddenly and regained his physique, "Um, yesh… Yeah, you can come along." He then coughed once more for good measure.

Jirou, in a burst of passion (and a little bit of stupidity, as always) smiled, "Okay, baku, you've got yourself a deal. Muru, are you up to this? 'Cause I'm ready to go if you are!"

Murugu was shocked, but she couldn't help smiling, "Anything for you Jirou…" She said.

The portal swirled around a little more forcefully until Jirou got close. He took a deep breath and stuck his hand through, which, to the children's great surprise sucked, them into the portal muck faster than expected. Suddenly, the portal turned around on its side and vanished into thin air.

And then only the aosaginohi baku was left, chuckling lowly and pitying the poor fool who had just given up his life for power, just like he did, so very long ago.

* * *

Suzaku let out a deep breath, "How long did that take? Sorry if I bored you out your mind."

Umeko waved her hands nervously, "Nuh-no…" She said, "I'm sorry I had to bring up such painful memories…! I honestly didn't think that you'd—" She swallowed. She didn't want to say 'open up', as she learned that you never, ever say that to a guy early in life.

Suzaku glanced at her, "That I'd…?"

"Really… Uh, tell me… Stuff…" She said, rocking slightly.

"Okay…" Suzaku grunted with a laugh, "Weirdo."

Umeko bit her lip, "And you became leader of the Saint Beasts, the Suzaku, instead of the aosaginohi baku."

"Yup," He said, "and that was the death of the child me, Jirou."

"Uhmm…" Umeko sighed, "Well, this is a little weird, but… What happened to the other Saint Beasts?"

"Oh, them?" Suzaku grew quiet, trying to bring up his nonchalant aura, "They died. When Yusuke came, I mean. Oh, and…" He frowned slightly, "Murugu, too."

Umeko looked down, "O-Oh… Sorry."

Suzaku shrugged, "No big deal. Actually, that pretty-boy, Akane, he made me take a little thing from each one; nothing big, like a scrap of clothing or something. He actually thinks I care! Haha! Ha…!" He stopped, suddenly depressed, "Ha…"

Umeko frowned, "Um, doesn't your training start tomorrow?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

"O-Oh, yeah…" Suzaku said, "I should probably get to bed, right?"

"Mm."

Suzaku nodded, "I'm off to bed. Night, Umeko."

As he walked into his room, Umeko was alone again.

Only because she didn't notice that Rando was listening through his door.

And with that, with knees pressed against her chest, Umeko fell asleep in the middle of the white marble hallway.


	14. Cry Little Traitor

"Wake up! Rando, Suzaku! Everyone! It's time to _get up!"_

Rando rubbed his eyes. It was _defiantly not_ time to get up, but if Nanami said it was, it pulled himself out of bed and stretched a little before going to wash has face and get dressed. He ignored many more calls from Nanami, taking a long as he needed, and a little longer still. He never was a morning person, and Nanami should've known that by now.

He came out the door to see his mentor in a yellow suit with matching skirt and a very tired Umeko waiting. Nanami looked excited, possibly thinking about Hotaru. Akane was awake, looking very happy and alert as normal.

"Good morning, Mr. Rando," Akane smiled cheerfully, as if he didn't know what time it was.

Rando grunted a little. He took a seat next to him was yawned loudly. He just wanted to get back to sleep.

A couple minutes later, Suzaku came out. He was looking as gaudy as normal, but as tired as sin. He sat next to Rando, cradled his head in his hands, and promptly fell asleep again without saying a word.

Rando looked around. As if by magic, Nanami had repaired the wall that Hotaru had broken down, so Rando couldn't see the moon. It was very dark, and he assumed it was very late. Or maybe very early. He couldn't really tell. He was also tempted to fall back asleep as Suzaku had, but decided against it. He's just be woken up again sooner rather than later.

Akane spoke up, "Where are the twins?" He asked.

Nanami looked around, "Rin's still getting ready, probably. Sad, because she's naturally pretty. I don't think she needs to fix herself up like this…" She sighed with a feminine understanding, before blushing, "Nori's… Whatever he's doing, it's more important that being here, so we'll just wait for Rin."

Suzuku mumbled something about Hotaru which was defiantly unkind, but Rando was too tired to hear it and honestly didn't care. He didn't care about much right now, except for sleep.

After ten minutes of Rando's waiting, Suzaku's sleeping, and Akane's infuriating rocking, back and forth, while humming an annoyingly catchy tune, a now quite common ear-piercing scream rung throughout the manor.

"I'm coming, damn it!"

Rando gave a sigh with a mix of relief and surprise, "No one called you…" He mumbled, slightly embarrassed to be startled by the loud noise. Or maybe he was just embarrassed that he didn't expect her to yell like that. He was really too tired to tell.

Suzaku woke up with a violent shake, clearly confused, "Bwah…! What's going on _now?"_ He asked, covering his ears with his hands, desperately trying to block out any noise and not wake up too much that it would be impossible for him to get back to sleep.

As if only to answer Suzaku's question, Hiroko's door opened with a violent slam. She stomped down every stair as loudly as possible, "I'm awake, I'm awake! Gawd!"

Rando figured she was just used to doing this, as it was probably the way she acted every day as a child when her father woke her up for school. It really didn't matter if anyone called for her or not, she _was _going to throw a temper-tantrum.

Hiroko sat down next to Rando. She crossed her legs, faced the wall and grunted, "This is ridiculous."

Nanami smiled, "Good. Now that we're all here—"

Suzaku looked up from the cradle of his hands, "What about her brother?" He asked, hoping that he could squeeze a few more precious minutes of sleep.

Hiroko yawned, "You mean mine?" She asked, still half asleep, "That lazy-ass is probably still in bed."

Nanami shrugged, "Oh, let the poor boy sleep. I need to talk to you people." She walked over to the side and looked a little bit happier. "You're training will be tough. Are you ready for it?"

Suzaku and Hiroko looked up and yelled in unison, "No!"

"Good!" Nanami smiled, clapping her hands together. "Now, there's a major problem up in the northernmost region of Demon World. Lately, there's been an unsettling number of… Kidnappings."

Umeko gasped, "Oh, this story…! I've heard a little about this…"

Akane looked concerned, "Kidnappings?"

"Yes," The Brilliant Hunter said.

Hiroko shook her head, "I'm familiar with kidnapping and random—I come from a crime family, after all. What do they want? Money? Or just fame—er, unfame? Infame? Yeah, that one."

Nanami shook her head, "I don't know. No one does."

Hiroko stood up, "But, they have to have demands, don't they? Uh, it's kinda pointless to kidnap without demands!"

"No one's heard any demands. It started as a type of legend—just one to keep children in bed at night, y'know? But it's gotten must worse…" She walked the other way and sighed, "No one knows exactly what happened, but the legend is starting to come true... And the children are disappearing for real."

Suzaku looked a little concerned, as he was actually willing to look up, "What's the legend?"

Umeko bravely chimed in, "Well," She said, a little loudly, "I don't know the whole story, but here's what I do know. Apparently, it's popular for mothers with young, feisty children to tell them this to get them to go to bed. The myth goes that if you stay up to late, you'll see a strange flicker, supposedly a woman with a lantern, in the distance… And you'll want to follow it. But it'll just get farther and farther away."

Suzaku shuddered a little, as if a bad memory had been stirred-up, "It's like a will-o-wisp…"

Rando nodded, "I see. But now there's someone that's taking a lantern out and attracting children."

"But they all would freeze to death…! How does that fit in with a kidnapping?" Hiroko said loudly and a little uneasily, "And why would they even follow it, anyways!"

Nanami sighed, "…I don't know. I… I just think they call it that to keep some hope in the parents who lost their kids…"

Akane bit his bottom lip, "That's… Really sad."

"Oh, yeah…" Suzaku whispered, "You're a father, aren't you?"

Nanami continued on over those two, "As to why they follow it… That's just another mystery."

"There's not much we do know," Rando said disapprovingly.

"No one does." Umeko stepped in, "But that's why you have to step in! To prevent anything like this from happening to more people!"

"Prevent what?"

Everyone spun around to see Hotaru at the top of the stairs, dressed in his fancy white suit and with a particularly stupid yet equally sly smile on his face, "G'morin'."

Rando sighed, "Nori… It took you long enough."

Hotaru seemed pretty awake as he slid down the rail. When he got to the bottom, he skillfully jumped off, caught his top hat in mid-air, and followed with a bow that made Nanami swoon. "Ta-da! And sorry. My bad. So, whaterya' talking 'bout?"

"Good morning, Nori. Hope you slept well." Nanami smiled, totally flipping the conversation to a much happier tone. "We're talking about a mission to train these four."

Hotaru frowned, "Oh, to go out into Demon World? Perhaps Milady should stay home…"

"Nhu-uh, Hotaru!" Hiroko grunted, "I'm going!"

Hotaru frowned, "Well then, I can't let you go alone!"

Rando stood up, "You can't come, too. Two humans will just attract attention."

"Frankly, one human will attract too much attention. Everyone will notice her," Suzaku stood up. "Why not have another friend? The more the merrier!"

Rando sighed. It did make a certain degree of sense, and it would keep Hiroko safer to have someone that would be watching her back twenty-four seven.

"Although…" Suzaku said leaning closer to Rando, "It wouldn't surprise me if you were one of those 'too many cooks spoil the broth' type of people."

Rando sighed, "Well… We could leave them both behind."

Hiroko clenched her fists, "Uh, no! Weren't you listening to me?"

Rando whispered into Suzaku's ear, "I'm not sure she can fight alone, can she? Hotaru will be on some other team-" He looked up and tilted his head, "Hey, wait a minute. If you're not going to fight for us, why are we training you?"

Hotaru smiled, "Oh, I'll throw the fight against you. I can't fight too well alone anyways. Just pretend to rough me up a little, and I'll quit. I just need to get to the point that I fight you, and it'll be an easy win, depending on what you set the victory requirements at."

"Then why are you even fighting in the Dark Tournament?" Suzaku sighed.

"Um…" He blushed, "Secret! Just know I'm on your side."

Akane looked nervous, "Won't that ruin your reputation?"

"Meh, that's not important." He winked, "Well, as long as I'm seen losing to one of you. If I lost to a woman like my sister… Whoo, boy... Now that'd be bad."

Hiroko shifted and smiled, "Oh, Hotaru… You know you couldn't beat me."

Hotaru smiled gently, "Yes, of course I do, Hiroko."

Nanami was about to get angry, as she was an ardent feminist, but the tender way he smiled at his sister melted her heart in an instant. Well, most things he did had the effect, but so what? It was only that way because he was so sexy…

Rando nodded, "Aright. I'll trust you—for now. After all, fighting will get us nowhere."

Suzaku put his hand on Hotaru's shoulder, "Now, eating you on the other hand—"

Hotaru punched Suzaku in his stomach, sending him lurching. "Bwah…! Away…! Go away!"

"Kidding…! Kidding…!" He yelled, gasping for breath, "My God, you hit hard! That stuff about you not being able to fight without Hiroko is total—Grah…!" He said sitting back down of the couch to catch his breath.

Nanami glared at him, "Gawd, would it kill you to learn some manners, Suzaku!"

Hiroko put her nose up into the air, "Yeah, Suzaku!"

"Uh… Um…" Umeko stammered, trying to go with the rest of them, "Yeah, Suzaku…"

Suzaku sighed, "Yeah, me…" He groaned sarcastically.

Nanami tilted her head, now that anything threatening her future love life was gone, "Uh, what was I talking about…? Oh yeah, training. Here's the deal, kids. You five go out and find who or whatever this light is and kill it dead, alright?"

Suzaku, who was still catching his breath, looked up, "Will do." He said between pants.

Rando nodded, "I'll make up for my failures, Miss Nanami. I'm sure of it."

She nodded, "Good. It's really important that it doesn't take anymore lives, so do your best."

Hiroko looked up, "Why's that?"

There was an awkward pause in the room when Nanami looked at Hiroko with a stare of pure confusion. The big-eyed girl on the couch looked back up, innocently oblivious to why she was getting it. The atmosphere became so tense that even people who didn't believe in that kind of stuff, like Rando, were feeling the tension.

"Because," Nanami said in a low whisper, "people are dying."

Hiroko looked up and shook her head, "I don't get it… Don't people always die?"

The two women stared at each other deeply, but with no malice. Nanami shook her head with pity and turned the other way. Hiroko stood up and put a hand on her chest, her face still filled with disappointment. Who that was directed to, however, no one knew.

"Um, wait…" She said, surprisingly humbly.

"Hey," Nanami interrupted, "you guys should get a move on."

Hiroko was taken aback at the sudden curtness, but nodded silently. She turned around, although she was radiating a type of childish, left-out anger, she looked totally normal. She walked up to Rando, who was still on the couch, and tilted her head towards Nanami with a grunt.

Rando stood up and walked past her, "Alright, Miss Nanami. It's up in the northernmost region. We won't come back until we've killed it."

Akane stood up, too. "Yes," He said, "you can count on us, ma'am."

Rando looked at his team, which had now been extended to include the handsome and cunning Hotaru Tarukane. He actually smiled a little and walked to the door, "C'mon. Let's go."

Suzaku stood up and stretched his lower back, "Alright, alright…" He walked over to the door and gave Rando a smile, "Things are going to get a lot different now, eh, Rando?"

This was the first time Suzaku had ever used his name. Rando couldn't help but smile back, "Yeah. It really starts now."

Suzaku strutted through the door, "Sorry I snapped at you last night. Let's get a move on."

"Ah…!"Rando was shocked at the apology, but he knew Suzaku wouldn't want a reaction. Instead, he ignored it and looked back at Hiroko, "Are you coming?"

"Well, of course I am!" She said, in a very girly manner and as peppy as ever, "I can't have you men do everything, can I?"

Rando nodded, "No, I suppose not."

Hiroko grabbed Hotaru's hand without a word and set off to the doorway with a smile. She cutely stuck her tongue out at Rando on the way out, still dragging Horatu behind her, who winked at him. Rando smiled again, feeling a bit strange with the attention from the normally demanding twins, but he called out to Akane nonetheless. "C'mon!"

Akane smiled a little and nodded. "One second! I'll meet you out there!"

Rando nodded as he closed the door, leaving them alone. There was another awkward pause as Nanami stood with her back to the innocent, smiling Akane. She mustered up her courage and said, "Hey, Takehiko."

Akane looked up, more serious, "…"

She turned around to face him, "Takehiko."

Akane Chiyoko sighed. He walked over and turned around facing the wall for a moment before sighing. He turned around and faced them—no longer as Akane, but as poltergeist being Takehiko Ai.

The voice seemed deeper and much more sinister now. He looked up with a smile, "Yes, ma'am?"

"Don't get yourself killed." She said, trying to be pleasant but clearly filled with rage.

Takehiko smiled, "Now, why would I do that?"

Umeko backed up slightly, "Uh… Um… What going on…?"

Nanami looked at him a little harshly, "Umeko, this is not demon. This is a poltergeist being—a resident of the Spirit World and direct servants of Koenma."

"Oh my God!" Umeko yelled, "Y-You're one of those…? Then… Then… W-Why are you after Rando…!"

"After?" Takehiko laughed in a competent way that mirrored his brother's, "Oh, no, no, no… I'm just humble security guard on a little… Adventure."

Nanami became even more cautious, "You're Akira's son, aren't you?"

"That I am." He said, "But what's that got to do with anything? I'm simply me. Nothing more, nothing less."

She came closer and grabbed his collar, lifting him up off the ground to get eye-contact, "If you so much as touch Rando, I'll—"

Takehiko slapped her hand, making her drop him immediately. He walked over to the door and smiled, "I have no reason to do something like that. So I won't. And I thought you could see the future."

Nanami walked closer, losing her cool at the last comment. She was going to give him the benefit of the doubt, but he was just toying with her. And she wasn't going to take it. She grabbed his arm and twisted it fiercely. "Bastard! You're… You are a traitor! Stop lying!"

"Okay, fine." He shrugged, cleared pained, "I give. But every team's got one." He laughed, "But you can't tell, now can you? After all, Rando's only ticket into the Dark Tourney's through my connections to Enma."

Nanami gasped, "Oh…"

Takehiko smiled, "Now, now. Please, I'm not going to hurt him. I'm just doing my job."

"You're messing with people!" Umeko yelled.

"See: 'doing my job'." He smiled, "Anyways, I gotta get food, don't I? Unlike demons, I can't just eat anyone. Just know this… I'm a trainee."

"A trainee?"

"Yes…" He smiled, "I'm a trainee for the SDF."

Nanami was silent. Him! He was so quiet and gentle before… Who was this arrogant, smirking man in front of her? A trainee for the Special Defense Force to boot… She let go of his arm and stepped back.

"I won't tell," She said, "but you better fess up to what you're doing."

"Mother!" Umeko yelled.

"I know what I'm doing!" She yelled back. Umeko shirked away, and she continued, "Please, Takehiko. Tell me what you're planning."

Takehiko stepped to the door and smirked, "Sorry. I can't afford to make any mistakes. I've got a daughter."

Nanami looked at Umeko for a moment, but then back at him, "I know you're scared. But please, I won't hurt you again like that. I just want know what you're doing." She put her arms behind her back.

A drop of sweat rolled down Takehiko's cheek, but he maintained mostly confident, "I don't know what you're talking about. Y-You mean what you did to my arm…? That didn't hurt at-at all…"

Nanami smiled weakly, "Please, we're not going to do anything to you again. You're as jumpy as Nori."

"Shaddup!" He yelled, losing his temper, "I'm not going to deal with your insults any longer! You're making me really mad…!"

"Ah…!" Umeko yelped, hiding behind her mother.

Nanami shoot a quick look at Umeko and looked back at him. She wasn't afraid of him, as she could snap his skinny body in two without breaking a sweat, but she still wanted to calm him down. She felt really bad about hurting Takehiko, and decided not to push it harder. She opened her mouth a little and whispered, "…Please, think about how happy you are now. Why waste it?"

Agent Takehiko backed up. He shook slightly, looking totally crushed for a second. He was unstable for a moment, but then he finally whispered, "They don't care about me. No one does. Not until I have power—until I can crush them under my heel—will people ever want to be with me."

He didn't even give the women a chance to respond. He walked over to the door and walked through without any hesitation.

Nanami breathed in grabbing onto Umeko's hand, "…That was such a sad face… Takehiko…" She looked down, "I'm so sorry… But I can't let you get to Rando."

The next time she saw him, it would have to be the end.

And, on the other side of doorway emerged not SDF Agent Takehiko Ai, but shy demon Akane Chiyoko. He gave a weak, unconvincing smile to the other four, unable to get back into the groove of the act after his last comment to Nanami. He took a deep breath in as he looked at them, tears almost about to fall down his cheeks.

"Sorry about that." He whispered, "Let's get going."

He passed the people he wanted to call friends with a fake confidence and walked on.

Even if they didn't care about him, even if what they said had no importance to him, even if they would abandon him at any moment… He didn't want them to see that he was crying.


End file.
